I refuse to buy your orders, I refuse to chant Bharat Mata Ki Jai as well!

“Now the time has come when we have to tell the new generation to chant 'Bharat Mata Ki Jai'. It should be real, spontaneous and part of all-round development of the youth,” said RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat earlier this month. And as if there was some understanding between the two, Owaisi, the MP from Hyderabad and leader of MIM responded by saying “You can hold a knife to my throat but I will not say 'Bharat Mata Ki Jai'...it is not written in the constitution.” Thus born another meaningless discussion on nationalism. Then came responses of others. Javed Akhtar in his farewell speech in Rajya Sabha took jibe at Owaisi calling him only a mohalla leader from Hyderabad and chanting 'Bharat Mata Ki Jai' several times calling it his right to say so. Did anyone told Javed Saab that it wasn't? Nobody knows. Then jumped the Shiv Sena with its editorial in party mouthpiece Saamna saying, it is not a right but a duty which must be made mandatory; further, all those who do not say "Bharat Mata ki Jai" should be deprived of their citizenship... In between all this MIM MLA from Maharashtra Waris Pathan was suspended from the house for not saying 'Bharat Mata Ki Jai'. Yes, you heard it right, suspended.

Why do few people have problem with this slogan? What can be objectionable in hailing one's motherland? As far as I know Islam doesn't prohibit its followers from expressing love for one's motherland. Then what exactly is the fuss around being stubborn about not saying it? Waris Pathan even shouted 'Jai Hind', 'Hindusthan Zindabad' but just not 'Bharat Mata Ki Jai'. Why, when they mean similar things – one's love for motherland. On the other hand, it's intriguing how RSS chief has chosen this one slogan to prove one's patriotism from the many famous others. Why can't we prove our patriotism with a 'Jai Hind' or 'Hindusthan Zindabad' or 'Inquilab Zindabad'? Why only in Hindi? Can't we express same emotions in other languages? After all only around 40% Indians speak Hindi! But then, do we really need to prove our patriotism with a slogan? What about someone who can't speak? Is he any less Indian? Dear Reader, did you say Bharat Mata Ki Jai today? Yesterday? If not, does that make you any less Indian? Did Mohan Bhagwat chant it daily or only when he holds a mike and cameras are at him? Was 'Bharat Mata Ki Jai' the first sound Mr. Bhagwat made and not 'mum' or 'dad'? Why are we so hell bent on narrowing our patriotism to these binaries? And most importantly, who is Mohan Bhagwat to define patriotism for us?

“Why did Bhagwat choose to promote this specific slogan rather than any of the others given during the freedom struggle? The slogan "Bharat Mata Ki Jai" was linked by the turn of the twentieth century with the depiction of an image of the nation in the form of a mother Goddess. Abanindranath Tagore's pictorial presentation of Bharat Mata, the first such, was drawn largely from the image of Durga, the goddess worshipped across Bengal. The origins of the slogan itself have also been traced by many to Bengal to a play written by Kiran Chandra Bannerjee, staged in 1873, and then taken up by Bankim Chandra Chatterjee in his highly influential Anand Math, which also contained the verses of Vande Mataram. In both, the nation is linked to the mother, the Goddess to be worshiped.” - wrote Brinda Karat today.

Whatever Bhagwat's reasons, we must remember throughout this debate that idea of India means many thing to different people. Nationalism or patriotism shouldn't be reduced to binaries as has been the practice in recent months. After every controversy, after every big moment when you feel like, now the real questions this nation faces will be addressed, someone fires the fresh salvo of who is more national than who, that army is fighting on borders while we fight for freedom of expression, that we speak here thanks to army! Yes, we do but also remember, we stand because our farmers are tilling their lands, it is they who feed us. While soldiers are killed in avalanche and ambushes, farmers are also committing suicides due to nature's and government's apathy. Why is speaking about them not considered mainstream worthy?

That doesn't mean Owaisi is right. One wonders why he choose to respond to Bhagwat's statement; if you don't agree then just ignore and move on. It's not as if we don't have issues to speak on but we speak nonsense because that's what grabs the eyes of media lenses. So in a way media has much to retrospect like our political leaders and we as citizens have to do too.

But Owaisi in my opinion is right to refuse to chant 'Bharat Mata Ki Jai' just because Mohan Bhagwat wants him to. To chant any slogan is not mandatory – for god-sake we must remember that we are not a police state but democracy. Increasingly we are becoming a police state with police entering our kitchens to see what we cook and in our bedrooms to know how we roll! This madness must stop and for it to stop, we all have roles to play. I have right to chant any slogan of my choice or may not chant any at all, in any way, it is none of your business. I and I alone will decide that until we are a democracy and not police state. Just imagine the horror tomorrow if this continues and we have people chanting Bharat Mata Ki Jai holding flags in their hands and killing people, in riots throwing stones... oh wait, lawyers of Patiala House Court have already committed such madness of holding national flag, chanting Bharat Mata Ki Jai and thrashing the fellow countrymen! Do you wish to be part of that crowd, does that excite you or can you imagine to be at receiving end of such a crowd? I don't know what you think but I'm quite clear with what I believe. This freedom that I enjoy today is dear to me and I know many have given their lives to let me and scores of others breathe in an independent India. Sorry to let you know but RSS was not one of them.

Saare Jahan Se Achcha, Hindostan Hamara, the iconic anthem in praise of motherland which we sing during school prayers every so often was penned by Allama Iqbal! Today Iqbal is known in Pakistan as their spiritual founder and national poet. They have holidays in his name. I wonder if he would be called Kafir knowing he penned that and many such songs praising the motherland.

“Patriotism cannot be our final spiritual shelter; my refuge is humanity. I will not buy glass for the price of diamonds, and I will never allow patriotism to triumph over humanity as long as I live, ” said Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore. He is no more today and slowly patriotism is triumphing over humanity. After the controversy was blown up MIM leader Owaisi shared one of Tagore's quote which read, "I love India, not because I cultivate the idolatry of geography, not because I have had the chance to be born in her soil, but because she had saved through tumultuous ages the living words that have issued from the illuminated consciousness of her great sons..."

I stop here with belief and hope that you understand these fowl games that are played out in national discourse when elections are near. MIM and RSS are doing just that. Stay safe, stay alert and educate your friends about their plans of divisive society that benefits their electoral plans. Humanity is our foremost religion, being Human our first identity! Let me complete with iconic lines from Allama Iqbal again,

“Mazhab nahin sikhata apas mein bair rakhna,

Hindi hain hum, watan hain Hindustan hamara”

(Religion does not teach us to bear ill-will towards each other, we belong to Hind, our homeland is Hindustan).

Jai Hind!