​Boycott those who don’t chant 'Bharat Mata ki jai', says Baghpat khap order

MEERUT: A Baghpat khap panchayat has declared that all those who refuse to chant “Bharat Mata ki jai’ must be socially and economically boycotted. The panchayat was held in Bijrol village, 26 km from Baghpat, where members criticized the recent fatwa from Darul Uloom seminary that the slogan was un-Islamic. Khap leaders said the fatwa shows “they can’t be patriotic”.
At the panchayat meeting, members from different villages vehemently criticized the recently issued fatwa from Darul Uloom Islamic seminary in which it stated that Muslims must not chant the slogan as it was un-Islamic.
The panchayat members further said that those who have reservations in saying “Bharat Mata ki jai” cannot be patriotic and that the seminary’s issuing of the fatwa allegedly indicated mala fide intention because “they” were allegedly trying to disintegrate the nation yet again.
The panchayat was presided over by Khap president from Bijrol village Yashpal Chaudhary, who is also a descendent of Shah Mal, hero of the 1857 uprising that began from Meerut itself.
Yashpal said, “There was no need for this fatwa. No one is forcing anyone to chant ‘Bharat Mata ki jai’. But it was this slogan that got us independence from the British and issuing a fatwa against chanting it was uncalled for. Now, since their intention is not right, all those who are voicing protests against the slogan must be socially and economically boycotted, be it Hindus or Muslims.”
One of the senior members of the khap, Chaudhary Iqbal said, “We live in villages and Muslims at this level do not have any problems with the slogan, but we are concerned about what the fatwa means. The country was divided by the British on religious lines, leading to Partition. Similarly, attempts are being made to disintegrate the nation again, and it is not acceptable.”
Responding to thousands of letters that Islamic seminary of Darul Uloom has received ever since the controversy over chanting of the slogan erupted, Darul Ifta, a department in the seminary that is authorized to issue fatwas had stated that Muslims must refrain from chanting the slogan.
As per scholars of the university, “Bharat Mata is deification of the country wherein it is showed as a goddess carrying a trident in one hand. Islam does not permit idol worship. At the same time, India is the land of our ancestors and we love our country very much.”
Though the fatwa had been issued on March 19, it became public only on Thursday and by Friday it generated a fresh controversy.