• Source:JND
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Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, during an interview with ANI, backed UP CM Yogi Adityanath's slogan of 'Batenge to Katenge' calling for Hindu unity. The slogan that sparked a debate in Maharashtra, did not go very well with some of the BJP's allies and its leaders NCP's including Ajit Pawar and BJP's Ashok Chavan. Besides this, the slogan is also being widely condemned by the opposition leaders.

"I don't see anything wrong in Yogi ji's slogans. Look at the history of this country. Jab Jab bate hai tab gulam bane hai. Whenever this country divided into castes, into states, divided into communities society we became slaves. The country was also divided, and so were the people. That's why if we divide, we will be cut. This is the history of this country," Fadnavis said in an interview with ANI.

"And I don't understand that if someone says don't divide, then what is the point of objecting to this?" he added.

When asked about Prime Minister Narendra Modi's accusation that the opposition was dividing the OBC community, Fadnavis remarked that Rahul Gandhi's statement during his visit to the United States had exposed their true intentions.

ALSO READ: 'Batenge To Katenge' Slogan In Maharashtra Sparks Fissures Not Only In Allies But In BJP Too

"Rahul ji has already given an indication of this in America. I feel that Rahul ji has made a mistake. They didn't know that the media followed them everywhere. So, when they went to America and made statements on the Constitution and reservation, their mentality was revea;ed. Secondly, you can see the manner in which they are trying to divide into different castes. The Prime Minister is right. There are 350 castes in OBC in Maharashtra," Fadnavis said.

The BJP leader said that there are 350 and 54 subcastes among the Other Backward Class and Scheduled Tribes communities, respectively, making them a pressure group. If these communities get divided, Fadnavis said, then they will not be able to form that pressure group.

Taking a swipe at the Congress, Fadnavis said that a 'Bharat Jodo' community has surfaced and the work of the group is to spread anarchy.

"The activities of a community called Bharat Jodo are carried out by anarchists. They want to spread anarchy. These people are not Bharat Jodo. They want to divide and destroy India," he stated.

Fadnavis said that it will take time for Ajit Pawar to understand the public's mood as had stayed with anti-Hindu idealogies for a long time.

"For decades, Ajit Pawar has stayed with such ideologies which are secular and anti-Hindu. There is no real secularism amongst those who call themselves as secularists. He has stayed with people for whom opposing Hindutva is secularism. There is no real secularism among those who call themselves secular," Fadnavis said speaking to ANI.

"It will take some time for him to understand the mood of the public. These people either did not understand the sentiments of the public or did not understand the statement or they probably wanted to say something else," he added.

Fadanavis has also been campaigning extensively in the poll-bound State. The contest for the 288 assembly seats in Maharashtra has become more intense, with both the ruling Mahayuti and the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) working diligently to win the support of voters.

(With inputs from agency)