Slogan row

It is distressing and upsetting to be constantly reading about the need to prove one’s patriotism in the form of slogan chanting and the various opinions of political leaders, fringe elements and columnists (“‘No’ to Bharat Mata Ki Jai is mala fide: Fadnavis”, April 4). Have we forgotten that India faces burning issues related to the state of primary and higher education, the dismal performance of our health sector, FDI hurdles, rights violations, threats to the right to freedom of expression, growing malnutrition among poor children, the burden of enhanced taxes and inflation, farmers’ suicides, NPAs, and the looming threat of terror? The way things are shaping, the BJP government may need at least 15 years of our mandate in order to fulfil all its poll promises. The Central government should focus on productive work rather than waste time and energy on tokenism and fruitless debate.

Rameeza A. Rasheed,Chennai

When we say “

Bharat Mata Ki Jai ”, it does not mean that we are worshipping India (“Deoband fatwa says no to worship of ‘Bharat Mata’”, April 2). The word “

Jai ” means victorious or glorious. It is not against any religion to honour one’s country, and religion and nationalism should be separated if we are to portray India as a diverse democracy at international fora.

B. Srilatha,Secunderabad

The slogan is meant to honour the martyrs who died for the country. Worshipping the country in the name of ‘ Bharat Mata ’ is the equivalent of worshipping one’s mother, and there certainly cannot be anything un-Islamic in it as felt by the seminary. There are Hindus who visit other places of worship which shows their religious tolerance. One hopes that the seminary will see reason as India’s glory lies in its “unity in diversity”.

E.S. Chandrasekaran,

Chennai