BHARATMATA KI JAI
Victory to our Mother, Bharat! This slogan that reflects our
national pride and affection for our motherland has suddenly become the object
of debate and controversy! It is
regrettable that a few persons of a community have declared that they will not
utter the words even at the peril of their lives! From time immemorial the
institution of motherhood is given prominence in society. The preceptor, after
instructing the student in the Vedas sends him out into the world with the
mandate—“ matru devo bhava, pitrudevo bhava, acharya devo bhava, atithi devo
bhava” Consider Mother as God. Consider
father as God. Consider the Guru as God. Consider the unexpected guest as God! First
and foremost importance is given to the mother, who bears the child in her womb
and suffers many difficulties before she delivers the child! Sometimes she lays
down her life in doing so! Bharat is our motherland. Is it not our duty and
obligation to revere our country and shower affection on her?
Even our
sasthras have glorified our motherland! “ janani janmabhumischa swargadapi gariyasi” says the maxim, Mother and motherland are
greater than paradise or heaven! We know
the saying “The hand that rocks the cradle rules the world” We are first and
foremost Indians and Hindus, Muslims, Christians , Parsis Buddhists , Jaims and
others later! It is our prerogative to exult over our birth in the sacred land
of Bharat which is called ‘Dharma Kshetra’ and ‘punya bhumi None should feel
sorry for his birth in this land! National feelings should not be given a political coloring. What
is there to debate on the slogan? You want to oppose the utterance of
‘Bharatmata ki Jai’? This seems to be
silly as far as the Indian citizen is concerned.
The Indian
constitution has not asked the citizen to repeat ‘ Bharatmata ki jai’ yes.What if
? The constitution did not envisage the occurrence of such a situation where an
Indian will refuse to repeat the slogan! Nothing is lost in repeating it but
the spirit of national pride and patriotism are revealed in making the
statement! The question of compulsion and force to repeat the statement arises
here. There is also the problem of freedom of speech and expression! None
should be compelled to say the slogan as it infringes on his liberty of speech!
But being an Indian, born and bred on the Indian soil and receiving all the
benefits of being an Indian, it is not fair to refuse to say’ Bharatmata ki
jai’
India’s glory consists in its unity in
diversity. Like the ocean that receives all the waters of the rivers , India has received different cultures
in the past, digested and assimilated them into its fabric! Hindus, Muslims,
Christians and innumerable communities and sects thrive here peacefully and add
color and grandeur to the nation! We should remember that there were no
Christians and Muslims in ancient India! Historically many original Hindus were
converted to Islam during the Moghul period! In the same way, after the British
came into India , many Hindus were converted to Christianity! The process of
conversion of Hindus to Islam and Christianity is still continuing!
Let us
forget that we are Hindus or Muslims or Christiana or Parsees or Buddhists or
Jains and others! Let us firmly remember that we are all first and foremost
Indians maintaining peaceful coexistence!
As Bhagawan Sri Sri Satya Sai Baba says, “There is only one Religion—the
Religion of Love; there is only one community – humanity’ Many nation s have an
eye on India and wonder how a country with such diversity of languages and
religion is able to manage itself. Off and on some problems may arise but on
the whole India has set an example to the world in managing such cultures that
have come into it! There are certain social mores and principles that every
citizen has to follow. He cannot abuse or misuse the sacred freedom at his
disposal! Speaking or acting according to his whims and fancies is tantamount
to abusing his freedom of speech and expression!
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