• Source:JND
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The 'Batenge to katenge' slogan posters by BJP featuring Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has sparked a new row ahead of the Maharashtra Assembly Election. Not the Opposition, but the alliance members of the saffron regiment didn't seem very happy with this. After NCP's Nawa Malik criticised the slogan, BJP MP and former Maharashtra chief minister Ashok Chavan has said that it is not in good taste and irrelevant and the people will not appreciate it.

In an interview to PTI on Wednesday, Chavan also said he doesn't attach much importance to the "vote jihad - dharma yuddha" rhetoric, as the BJP and ruling Mahayuti's policy is development of the country and Maharashtra. Chavan said, "There is no relevance of this (slogan). Slogans are given at election time. This particular slogan is not in good taste and I don't think people will appreciate it. Personally speaking, I am not in favour of such slogans."

"Every political functionary has to take a decision after a lot of thinking. We also have to see that nobody's sentiments are hurt," the BJP leader added, while speaking at Ardhapur in Nanded during his election campaign for the Mahayuti.

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BJP leader Pankaja Munde, in an interview, also disapproved the "Batenge to Katenge" slogan and said, "Frankly, my politics is different. I won’t support it just because I am of that party. My belief is that we should work on development alone. A leader’s job is to make every living person on this land as our own. Therefore, we need not bring any such topic to Maharashtra."

Earlier, NCP Chief Ajit Pawar, in an interview with TOI has said, "The remark 'batenge toh katenge' is inappropriate. People's thinking in UP, Bihar and Madhya Pradesh is different, but such statements don't work here. Using such words holds no significance in Maharashtra, in my opinion. Maharashtra is the state of Chhatrapati Shahu Maharaj, Mahatma Jyotirao Phule and Shivaji Maharaj. People of Maharashtra are different, and they think differently. If anyone leaves the ideology of Shahu, Shivaji, Phule and Ambedkar, then Maharashtra will not spare them."

Ajit Pawar-led NCP leader Nawab Malik too on Monday strongly condemned the slogan labeling it as "disgusting".

"Statements like 'batenge toh katenge' are disgusting. There can be no benefit from this. This kind of politics has caused a lot of damage in Uttar Pradesh...Even after the construction of the temple, BJP was badly defeated in Uttar Pradesh. So politics based on religion does not last long. We have full faith that politics should be done on the problems of livelihood, clothes and shelter. There should be talk of the development of the people...We want no one should divide the country in the name of Hindu-Muslim," Malik said.

Notably, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath had given the slogan 'batenge to katenge' while speaking at a campaign rally in Maharashtra. After that, after Prime Minister Narendra Modi gave the slogan 'ek hai toh safe hai'.