Congress leader courts controversy, asks workers not to chant ‘Bharat Mata Ki Jai’ rather hail party

New Delhi: A Congress leader in Rajasthan found herself in the midst of controversy over her call against chanting ‘Bharat Mata Ki Jai’ at a party event.

Aradhana Mishra, the Congress legislator from Utttar Pradesh and currently overseeing party’s election preparations in poll-bound Rajasthan, made the controversial statement during a party meeting, held to chalk out strategy and campaign plan.

Mishra reportedly asked party workers to refrain from chanting ‘Bharat Mata Ki Jai’and rather raise slogans & sing paeans for the grand old party. The incident took place at a Jaipur meet on Monday, where leaders had assembled seeking party tickets for impending polls.

जयपुर में भारत माता की जय के नारे पर बवाल..

कांग्रेस पर्यवेक्षक अराधना मिश्रा ने रुकवाई भारत माता की जय के नारे.. कहा- कांग्रेस की जय के अलावा कोई नारा नहीं लगेगा#Congress #AradhanaMisra #Jaipur #BharatMataKiJai pic.twitter.com/Xf5gYyF4WM

— India TV (@indiatvnews) September 5, 2023

While the discussion over ticket distribution was underway, two disparate groups engaged in bitter barbs as one accused the other of having links with Opposition BJP. This further escalated into physical altercation and eventually shouting of slogans. One faction started shouting Bharat Mata Ki Jai. As this caught the attention of Congress observer, she asked leaders & workers to refrain from such slogan-shouting and rather chant pro-Congress slogans.

She reportedly told the gathering that chanting slogans like this was indiscipline.

“If you like to shout slogans, chant pro-Congress slogans rather than Bharat Mata Ki Jai,” she reportedly told the gathering.

BJP tears into Congress

As the controversial call by Congress leader surfaced, it stirred up hornet’s nest and drew sharp remarks from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

BJP leader Shehzad Poonawala was quick to condemn the ‘abhorrent & detestable’ statement by Aradhana Mishra and said that this was the character of Congress party.

*वन-टू-वन बैठक में ‘गदर’:* ‘भारत माता की जय’ पर कांग्रेस पर्यवेक्षक नाराज, बोलीं- यह अनुशासनहीनता, कांग्रेस जिंदाबाद कहो https://t.co/g5FdMWuWRE

Congress observer Aaradhna Tiwari says chanting Bharat Mata Ki Jai is indiscipline; chant Congress Zindabad instead

Earlier too in… pic.twitter.com/3cbi726rQP

— Shehzad Jai Hind (@Shehzad_Ind) September 5, 2023

Poonawala said that this could be expected from only party that “puts party & parivar above the nation.”

Poonawalla taking to Twitter said, “Congress observer Aaradhna Tiwari says chanting Bharat Mata Ki Jai is indiscipline; chant Congress Zindabad instead. This happens when you put Party, Parivar above Nation.”