UP Shia Waqf board makes it mandatory to chant 'Bharat Mata Ki Jai' on Independence Day

LUCKNOW: The Uttar Pradesh Shia Waqf Board has made it compulsory to chant 'Bharat Mata Ki Jai' slogan during the Independence Day programmes which are scheduled to be held on Waqf properties on August 15.

Waqf board in an order issued on Saturday also warned of "strict action" if the directive is not complied with. "Shia Waqf Board has issued an order that on August 15, it is necessary to raise slogans of 'Bharat Mata Ki Jai' after the national anthem in the all programmes to be held on the properties of Waqf Board," Shia Waqf Board chairman Waseem Rizvi said.

"Whoever does not follow this order, strict action will be taken against him," he added.

In its letter, the board has said that it will be the responsibility of the caretakers and managing committees to ensure that the orders are followed.

The board chief said that Muslims have no problems in calling India their Madre-Watan (motherland). He said that the opposition to chantig Bharat mata ki jai does not make any sense if people claim that India is their 'Madre -Watan'.

Rizwi had recently said that Muslims should stop eating beef as religious sentiments should not be hurt. "Killing of cows should stop. The meat of cows is 'haram' in Islam as well. You can't stop mob lynching, security can't be deployed everywhere. So a law should be made awarding strict punishment to those killing cows," Rizvi had said.

Rizwi made the statement after senior leader of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) Indresh Kumar said that cases of mob lynching will stop when people stop killing cows. "I think Indresh Ji's statement has a point. Religious sentiments should not be hurt. If law is made to stop killing of cows, lynching will stop. You can't kill someone who is given the status of a mother by a community," Rizvi had said.