'Bharat Mata ki jai' row: Amit Shah comes out in support of Ramdev, asks does free speech not apply to him

New Delhi: Yoga guru Baba Ramdev had trigerred a massive controversy after he made beheading remark against those who don't say 'Bharat Mata ki jai'.

But, now he has found support from BJP's national president Amit Shah.

Clearly coming out in support of Ramdev, BJP chief Amit Shah on Tuesday said, "I want to know from those who talk of free speech, does it not apply to Baba Ramdev.”, according to a report in The Hindu. The comments by the BJP chief came during an interview to a private TV channel.

What did Ramdev say?

Ramdev had said that he respects the law of the land and the Constitution otherwise "lakhs of heads would have been cut for opposing the chanting of Bharat Mata Ki Jai".

He had launched a veiled attack on AIMIM leader Asaduddin Owaisi who had recently said he will not chant Bharat Mata ki Jai even if a knife is put to his throat. He, however, did not directly name Owaisi.

"Chanting Bharat Mata Ki Jai is an affirmation of citizens faith in their country, their motherland and if a religion preached otherwise, it was against national interest," he had added.

"If any religion prohibits chanting of Bharat Mata Ki Jai it is against national interest (kehte hain Bharat Mata Ki Jai bolna hamare dharm ke khilaaf hai....aur agar koi mazhab yeh kehta ho ki apni matrabhoomi ko gaurav mat do, woh mazhab bhi desh ke hit mein nahi," Ramdev said addressing a Sadbhavna Sammelan here yesterday, holding that the chant is about the motherland and not any religion.