BJP minister in Chhattisgarh threatens to break jaws if one chants ‘anti-national’ slogans

A video grab of Brij Mohan Agrawal’s speech.

BJP leader and Chhattisgarh Agriculture Minister Brij Mohan Agrawal is the latest politician to jump into the debate on anti-national slogans. Speaking to BJP workers at a function to mark the party’s anniversary, Agrawal said if “any anti-national slogans are shouted in front of BJP workers, then they should respond with full force”.

Speaking at the function at Ekatma Parisar in Raipur Wednesday, Agrawal said if anybody were to shout anti-India slogans, “we have the power to rip out their jaws”. He also said it was unfortunate that “even 69 years after Independence, anti-national slogans are being raised.” “Hamare karyakartaon ke saamne agar koi rashtra virodhi naara lagaye, toh uska jawaab puri takat ke saath dena chahiye ki hum log Bharatiya Janata Party ke hai. Ye iss desh ka durbhagya hai. Aur iss desh ke sabse bade rajneetik dal ke ek neta unko samarthan ke liye pahuch jaate hai. (If someone were to shout anti-national slogans in front of our workers, they should answer with full force. This is the misfortune of this country. And a leader of the biggest party of this country goes to support them),” he said, referring to Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi’s visit to JNU.

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Agrawal went on to say, “Toh Bharatiya Janata Party ke iss sthapana diwas ke avsar par… jo rashtra virodhi naare lagayenge, unke jabde ko ukhadne ki hum takat rakhte hai, ye unko batane ki avashyakta hai… Agar hindustan ki dharti pe tumne janm liya hai, hindustan ka tum ann kha rahe ho, hindustan ka pani pi rahe ho…tumhare marne ke baad bhi agar tumhe do gaj zameen milegi, toh voh hindustan ki dharti pe milegi. Isliye Bharat mata ki jai bolna padega (On the occasion of BJP’s anniversary… we have to tell those who raise anti-national slogans that we have the power to rip out their jaws. If you eat Hindustan’s grain, are born here, drink the country’s water, and if you are buried in this land after you die, you have to say Bharat Mata ki Jai)…It is not written in either the Koran, Bible, Ramayana or Geeta that we shouldn’t pay homage to our motherland.”

Congress slammed Agrawal for his remarks. Party leader Shailesh Nitin Trivedi said, “Those who did not play any role in the freedom struggle have no right to hand out certificates of nationalism.”