BJP lawmaker forces Muslim woman to chant Hindu nationalist slogans
Video from government welfare event shows Muslim beneficiary being pushed to chant political and religious slogans after BJP victory in West Bengal
NEW DELHI, India (MNTV) — A video showing a newly elected lawmaker from India’s ruling Hindu nationalist movement pressuring a Muslim woman to chant slogans associated with nationalism and Hindu identity during a government welfare event has triggered fresh debate about growing majoritarian politics in eastern India.
The incident took place during the launch event of a government welfare scheme in West Bengal, where video footage showed newly elected BJP legislator Kaustav Bagchi approaching a Muslim woman seated among beneficiaries and asking her to repeat slogans including “Bharat Mata Ki Jai” and “Vande Mataram.”
“Bharat Mata Ki Jai” and “Vande Mataram” are slogans closely associated with Hindu supremacist politics in contemporary India and have frequently appeared in political disputes involving Muslim communities.
“Bharat Mata Ki Jai,” which translates to “Victory to Mother India,” and “Vande Mataram,” meaning “I bow to thee, Mother,” are slogans that personify India as a mother figure or Hindu goddess-like entity.
Both Hindutva slogans conflict with Islamic monotheism, which rejects acts resembling worship or reverence toward entities besides God. Muslim organizations and civil rights advocates have repeatedly accused BJP leaders and Hindu nationalist groups of using such slogans as instruments to impose majoritarian versions of nationalism and test public expressions of loyalty among minorities.
The woman, dressed in a burqa and seated alongside other female beneficiaries, appeared to quietly repeat slogans before a BJP lawmaker encouraged her to say them louder, according to videos circulating online.
Afterward, people standing nearby were heard chanting “Jai Shri Ram,” a religious slogan associated with Hindu deity Lord Ram that has increasingly become a political rallying cry for Hindu extremist groups and BJP supporters.
Bagchi reportedly justified his actions by saying that because beneficiaries are Indian citizens, they should have no objection to chanting such slogans.
The incident occurred during launch of “Annapurna Yojana,” a welfare program, raising additional questions about power dynamics when political messaging intersects with government benefit distribution.
The controversy comes as BJP has consolidated power in West Bengal for the first time after defeating regional rivals in state elections, marking one of biggest political shifts in the region’s recent history.
Political observers say victory has accelerated debates over whether politics historically dominated by regional and linguistic identities is increasingly shifting toward religious polarization and Hindu nationalist mobilization.
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