BJP challenges INDIA bloc parties on A. Raja’s remarks

The BJP on March 5 came down heavily on the India National Developmental, Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) bloc parties, specifically on former Union Minister and Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) MP A. Raja’s reported remarks that “India was not a nation”, terming it “Maoist ideology”.

Former Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad, at a press conference at the BJP’s national headquarters in New Delhi, demanded to know whether the other constituents of the INDIA bloc parties agreed with Mr. Raja’s remarks on India’s ethos.

Mr. Raja reportedly referred to the chants of “Jai Shri Ram” raised by the supporters of the convicts in the Bilkis Bano gangrape case when they were released, and said: “If that is your ‘Jai Shri Ram’, if this is your ‘Bharat Mata Ki Jai’, we will never accept that ‘Jai Shri Ram’ and ‘Bharat Mata’. Tamil don’t accept. You go and tell [that] we are enemies of Ram.”