Bad call? Maharashtra replaces ‘hello’ with ‘Vande Mataram’, draws flak
Campaign rouses controversy as the state has had a tradition of using the ‘Jai Maharashtra’ greeting since Bal Thackeray’s time
The Maharashtra government has issued a Government Resolution (GR) directing government employees to answer the phone with “Vande Mataram” instead of “hello”. The advice covers calls received from citizens or government officials, and also while addressing staff, speaking to citizens or making public announcements.
The campaign was launched across the state on Sunday, October 2, on the occasion of Gandhi Jayanti and as part of Amrit Mahotsav. Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Cultural Affairs Minister Sudhir Mungatiwar launched the campaign from Wardha on Sunday morning.
‘Vande Mataram movement’
Speaking at the function, Fadnavis said that ‘Vande Mataram’ played an important role in India’s Independence movement. “Bhagat Singh’s last word was ‘Vande Mataram’, we have to bring Vande Mataram in our daily routine again,” he said. “From today onwards, we will start the ‘Vande Mataram’ movement.”
Also read: Explained: Behind the ‘bonhomie’ between RSS and Muslim leaders
The GR issued by the General Administration Department states officials across government, semi-government, local civic bodies, aided schools, colleges and other institutions will have to answer the phone with ‘Vande Mataram’.
Calling the word ‘hello’ an imitation of Western culture and just a ‘greeting without any specific meaning’ which ‘does not evoke any affection’, the circular said if conversations start with ‘Vande Mataram’, it would lead to a more positive and conducive atmosphere.
Replacing a meaningless greeting like hello with Vande Mataram will also generate national pride, it added.
GR attracts controversy
The campaign roused controversy as Samajwadi Party leader Abu Azmi on Sunday said that the state had always had a ‘Jai Maharashtra’ greeting since Bal Thackeray’s time, and this new campaign was only introduced to polarise Muslims, who he said cannot say ‘Vande Mataram’ as it is against their faith.
“I had met Bala (Thackeray) saab once or twice, he would always say ‘Jai Maharashtra’. All their sainiks would say the same. Even CM Shinde would say ‘Jai Maharashtra’. In Maharashtra, if a GR is issued which leaves out ‘Jai Maharashtra’ and takes up ‘Vande Mataram’, it indicates you (CM Shinde) are under their (BJP and RSS) pressure,” he said, adding that people of Maharashtra would question this and ask if it was a sin to say ‘Jai Maharashtra’.
“They are introducing this only to try and polarise. Muslims can’t say ‘Vande Mataram’. They are trying to divide us. We (Muslims) love our country but we only bow our heads before Allah, we can never say ‘Vande Mataram’, we will definitely say ‘Saare Jahan se Acha Hindustan,” he said.
NCP, Cong oppose move
The move drew criticism from other opposition parties as well, as NCP National Spokesperson Clyde Crasto said that while ‘Vande Mataram’ invokes a sense of pride and patriotism, they should not be forced.
Also read: Nitish’s socio-economic plank could decimate BJP’s Hindutva pitch
“Vande Mataram invokes a sense of pride and a feeling of patriotism among Indians and forcing them to say so is not right, especially when they are asking their employees to say Vande Mataram even when they use their private telephones. This is nothing but infringement of their Right to Freedom of speech and also imposition of a particular mindset on the people. Let them say Vande Mataram with pride, don’t force them to say so,” he said.
Congress Spokesperson Charan Sapra alleged that this was a ploy to divert attention from main issues.
