In a video tweeted by Bhai Jagtap, Venkaiah Naidu is heard saying “no other slogans are allowed”.
Mumbai:
BJP MP Udayanraje Bhosale on Thursday sought to downplay the controversy over Rajya Sabha chairman M Venkaiah Naidu expressing disapproval after he chanted the slogan “Jai Bhavani, Jai Shivaji“.
Immediately after taking oath as a Rajya Sabha member on Wednesday, Mr Bhosale had chanted “Jai Hind, Jai Maharashtra, Jai Bhavani, Jai Shivaji“.
In a video tweeted by state Congress legislator Bhai Jagtap, Mr Naidu is heard saying “no other slogans are allowed”.
As the episode turned into a controversy in Maharashtra, Mr Naidu too made it clear that he did not mean to insult anybody.
Speaking to reporters in New Delhi, Mr Bhosale, himself a descendant of the 17th century warrior king, said Mr Naidu did not insult Shivaji Maharaj in any way.
“Naidu said you can take oath, but do not add anything else to it…..it is (chanting a slogan after taking the oath) is not in line with the Constitution,” the BJP MP said.
“But some people have created a controversy out of it. Had (Shivaji) Maharaj been insulted, I am not the one to keep quiet. I would have resigned at the very moment,” he said.
“Naidu did no wrong. Had he done so, I would have sought his apology,” Mr Bhosale added.
The Vice President, meanwhile, clarified that he meant no disrespect to anyone.
“Always been a strong and vocal admirer of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and worshipper of Goddess Bhawani. Reminded Members that as per conventional practice at the time of taking oath, no slogans are given. No disrespect at all,” Mr Naidu tweeted on Thursday.
Earlier in the day, Shiv Sena’s Rajya Sabha member Sanjay Raut said the slogan “Jai Bhavani, Jai Shivaji” was as important as “Jai Hind” and “Vande Mataram“, and it does not violate any constitutional norms.
He also questioned the BJP’s “silence” over the issue.
Mr Raut was, however, quick to add that Naidu goes by the rules. “Rules of the House and sentiments of members are two different issues,” the Sena MP said.
Asked about Mr Raut’s remarks, Mr Bhosale told reporters that “some people want to remain in limelight all the time”.
The youth wing of the Nationalist Congress Party –Mr Bhosale’s former party — said it would send 20 lakh letters to Mr Naidu protesting over the issue.
Youth wing chief Mahebub Shaikh said the letters will include the text Jai Bhavani, Jai Shivaji.
