In the campaign for the Maharashtra assembly election, Yogi Adityanath, the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, used the slogan ‘If we divide, we will be cut off’ to bring together Hindu voters. PM Narendra Modi endorsed CM Yogi’s slogan of unity for safety, while Mahayuti leaders and former Chief Ministers Ashok Chavan, Ajit Pawar, and Pankaja Munde rejected the slogan and stated their opposition to it. Maharashtra does not subscribe to this belief.
Following the declaration made by the Mahayuti leaders, Deputy Chief Minister and BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis has now been required to provide clarification. He mentioned that these leaders do not comprehend the significance of this slogan, as it was a response to the propaganda of Mahavikas Aghadi. The message was to come together. The party is inclusive of all religions and does not hold any bias against Muslims.
When Yogi, the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, introduced the slogan ‘Bantenge to Katenge’, Ajit Pawar, the Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra and NCP leader, was quick to reject it, stating that he opposes the slogan because Maharashtra has a rich history with Phule, Shahu, and Ambedkar. Maharashtra did not approve of such things before and will not approve of them now.
Following that, there was a statement made by BJP leader Pankaja Munde. She mentioned that the slogan ‘Batenge toh katnge’ is unnecessary in Maharashtra. In all honesty, her political beliefs are distinct. She is unable to endorse simply because she is a part of the party that came up with this slogan. Her opinion is that they should focus solely on progress.
BJP MP and former Maharashtra Chief Minister Ashok Chavan also publicly disagreed with the party’s slogan ‘Bantenge to Katenge’. He stated that the slogan is not effective and irrelevant, predicting that it won’t be well-received by people. Ashok Chavan further mentioned that he does not pay significant attention to the phrase “Vote Jihad – Dharam Yudh”, as the focus of BJP and the ruling Mahayuti is on the progress of India and Maharashtra.
Ashok Chavan stated that this slogan lacks significance. Slogans are provided during election periods. This specific slogan is not effective and I doubt it will be well-received by people. The BJP leader emphasized the importance of every political official carefully considering it.
A choice must be made. We must also ensure that nobody’s emotions are harmed. It was stated by Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister and BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis last week that “vote jihad” should be responded to with a “dharma-yuddha” of votes.
In contrast, Maharashtra’s Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, a senior leader of the BJP, explained that the slogan ‘Batenge toh kateng’ is a reaction to the MVA campaign.
He said that his fellow colleagues Ashok Chavan, Pankaja Munde, and Ajit Pawar did not grasp the meaning of the slogan. The main goal of this motto is to encourage harmony and bring people together. His party does not hold a negative stance towards Muslims. He has attempted to include everyone in his government, wondering if the Ladki Behan Yojana is inclusive of Muslim women. Is it not relevant for them? This is actually a response to the appeasement strategy of the Mahavikas Aghadi.
Political circles are claiming that BJP is facing trouble before the elections due to opposition from alliance party leaders, prompting the party leader to provide clarification. Ajit Pawar, a leader of NCP, is worried that this declaration could divide his Muslim supporters. This is why he is avoiding associating with this statement, while other leaders argue that it is conveying a negative message to Dalits, tribals, and the Marathi community. This could negatively impact the outcome of the elections.