With opposition parties naming their alliance INDIA, the BJP on Wednesday dismissed the move as “old wine in a new bottle”, saying a change in name does not change someone.
BJP leaders also took a swipe at opposition parties over Samajwadi Party MLA Abu Azmi’s comments on ‘Vande Mataram’, with Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan saying the opposition continues to behave in the same old way.
“More than the change of name, this incoherent alliance needs to change its intention and mindset about India, its people and symbols of Indianness. What respect for the country will people with such sentiment about the national song have,” he said.
The BJP’s reaction came after Azmi, while raising the Sambhajinagar district riot issue in the Maharashtra assembly, said chanting ‘Vande Mataram’ was unacceptable to him.
Asked about the name ‘INDIA’ chosen by opposition parties for their alliance, Union Minister Pralhad Joshi said, “Someone does not change by changing the name. They are the same people. It is a old wine in a new bottle.” Several other BJP leaders also hit out at Azmi.
“Abu Azmi of SP says ‘I won’t say Vande Mataram, I won’t bow my head as my religion doesn’t allow it’,” BJP national spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla said in a tweet.
“Is this idea of I.N.D.I.A? Or is this anti-India? SP is a part of this alleged I.N.D.I.A,” he tweeted, taking a swipe at the newly formed coalition of 26 opposition parties.
Setting the tone for their 2024 Lok Sabha campaign, the opposition parties on Tuesday formed the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) to unitedly take on the ruling NDA with Congress leader Rahul Gandhi asserting that the fight will be “between INDIA and Prime Minister Narendra Modi”.
Poonawalla alleged India is in the name of the opposition parties’ alliance but not in their agenda.
“Earlier SP released terrorists and patronised Yakub (Memon), Afzal (Guru). Congress questioned the surgical strike, Balakot, and 26/11 was blamed on India, not Pakistan. This is their true face,” he alleged.
“Will Mamata-di, Kharge ji, Rahul ji tell us their stand?” Poonawalla asked.
The Maharashtra legislative assembly was adjourned on Wednesday following a noisy protest by BJP MLAs over Azmi’s remark on chanting ‘Vande Mataram’.
While raising the issue of the riot in the Sambhajinagar district, Azmi also said, “Some people say that if one has to live in India, ‘Vande Mataram’ must be chanted. We cannot do it. We believe only in one god.” A ruckus followed as the BJP MLAs took serious exception to his remarks.
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