Shiv Sena wants Asaduddin Owaisi`s citizenship revoked for refusing to chant `Bharat Mata Ki Jai`

Mumbai: The Shiv Sena on Thursday asked for the revocation of citizenship of those people who refuse to hail 'Mother India'.

The demand came in the wake of the controversy over chanting of 'Bharat Mata Ki Jai'.

All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen's (AIMIM) firebrand leader Asaduddin Owaisi had earlier said that the RSS can't force him to chant 'Bharat Mata Ki Jai'.

"I don't chant that slogan. What are you going to do, (RSS chief Mohan) Bhagwat sahab. I won't utter that (slogan) even if you put a knife to my throat," Owaisi had said, adding, "Nowhere in the Constitution it says that one should say: 'Bharat Mata Ki Jai'."

Congress leader Salman Khurshid later joined the debate and said chanting 'Bharat Mata Ki Jay' is a matter of personal choice.

Shiv Sena, which had asked Owaisi to go to Pakistan post his remarks, today said, “Citizenship and voting rights of people refusing to say 'Bharat Mata Ki Jai' should be revoked.”