A file photo of Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan.
Credit: PTI Photo
Malappuram (Kerala): Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan stated on Monday that the slogans 'Bharat Mata Ki Jai' and 'Jai Hind' were initially raised by two Muslims. He questioned whether the Sangh Parivar would be willing to relinquish these slogans.
Reaching out to the minority community in this Muslim-dominated north Kerala district, the veteran CPI(M) leader highlighted the significant contributions of Muslim rulers, cultural icons, and officials to the country's history and independence movement.
Supporting his assertion with historical examples, Vijayan mentioned that a Muslim man named Azimullah Khan coined the slogan 'Bharat Mata Ki Jai'.
"Some Sangh Parivar leaders who visited here have asked those in attendance to chant the slogan 'Bharat Mata Ki Jai'. Do they know who coined the slogan? I'm not sure if the Sangh Parivar is aware that it was Azimullah Khan," the CM remarked.
He expressed uncertainty regarding whether they would continue using the slogan given its origin from a Muslim individual.
Vijayan addressed the fourth consecutive rally organised by the CPI(M) in the state against the controversial Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA).
He mentioned that an old diplomat named Abid Hasan was the first to raise the slogan 'Jai Hind'.
Additionally, Vijayan highlighted how Mughal Emperor Shahjahan's son Dara Shikoh translated over 50 Upanishads into Persian from their original Sanskrit text, which helped disseminate Indian texts worldwide.
He urged Sangh Parivar leaders and activists advocating for the extradition of Muslims from India to Pakistan to consider this historical context.
The chief minister also emphasised the crucial role played by Muslims, along with others, in India's freedom movement.