Mumbai: All India Majlis-e-Ittehad-ul Muslimeen legislator Waris Pathan was on Wednesday suspended from Maharashtra Assembly after he refused to say 'Bharat Mata Ki Jai'.
Pathan will remain suspended from the Assembly for the entire budget session.
There was uproar in the assembly after BJP's Ram Kadam asked him to say 'Bharat Mata ki Jai'. However, Pathan refused it. This outraged the leaders of other parties also who demanded his immediate suspension.
"What is wrong in saying 'Bharat Mata ki Jai'? The country where we live is our mother," said Congress leader Hussain Dalwai.
The Minister of State (Parliamentary Affairs) Ranit Patil had moved a proposal for suspension of Pathan’s membership for the duration of the ongoing budget session. The house approved the proposal.
A few days ago, AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi had said that he would not say 'Bharat Mata ki Jai' even if a knife is put to his throat.
Reacting to veteran writer-turned-politician Javed Akhtar's speech in the Parliament, Pathan said, "If Javed sahab says 'Bharat Mata ki Jai' then let him,we wont.We will say Hindustan Zindabad and Jai Hind."
"By commenting on the cap worn by Owaisi sahab, Javed Akhtar sahab has insulted Muslims of not only India but world," he further added.
Defending his stance on the slogan, Pathan later said, "I love my country, I was born here and I will die here. I can never ever dream of insulting my country. Don't judge anyone's love for the country by just one slogan. Jai Hind Jai Bharat Jai Maharashtra."
Taking potshots at Owaisi's constituational rights, Akhtar had said in Rajya Sabha, "the Constitution does not even ask him to wear sherwani (dress) and topi (cap)... I don't care to know whether saying 'Bharat mata ki jai' is my duty or not but it is my right."
Meanwhile, reacting to Pathan's suspension, Owaisi said, "Waris Pathan's suspension from Maharashtra Assembly will set wrong precedent; it's not good for democracy."
(With Agency inputs)
