'The BJP should identify those involved in the protest against singing Gandhiji's bhajan and take action against them.'
'Such people should be removed from the party because they harm the BJP's image.'
A few days ago, popular Bhojpuri folk singer Devi was forced by a section of the audience to apologise for singing Mahatma Gandhi's favourite bhajan Raghupati Raghav Raja Ram at a function at Patna's Bapu Sabhagar to mark the late prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee's birth centenary.
The Main Atal Rahunga event was organised by former Union minister Ashwani Choubey, a senior Bharatiya Janata Party leader in Bihar.
About 60 to 70 BJP supporters angrily protested when Devi began singing the line Ishwar Allah Tere Naam in Raghupati Raghav Rajaram, loudly shouting 'Jai Shri Ram', forcing her to abandon the bhajan.
"When the protest continued senior BJP leaders appeared confused about what to do and how to pacify the protesting youth, a few organisers requested me to say sorry and chant 'Jai Shri Ram'," Devi, who is well known for singing devotional and folk Bhojpuri songs in India and abroad, tells Rediff.com Senior Contributor M I Khan.
Did you expect a protest for singing Mahatma Gandhi's favourite bhajan?
I never expected a protest against singing Gandhiji's favourite bhajan. It was beyond my imagination. The protest by a section of the audience was unexpected for me.
They created a ruckus, disrupted the event to protest against singing Gandhiji's favourite bhajan that is sung at events across the country.
I failed to understand why they opposed singing Gandhiji's favourite bhajan that has a strong message of tolerance and harmony.
Could you tell us why this protest happened?
It was a shameful incident. This showed a very narrow mindset of those who protested and opposed singing a favourite bhajan of Gandhiji.
I was not prepared for anything like this protest. It happened suddenly. The protest was so loud that I was forced to stop singing the bhajan.
Everything was smooth when I started singing the bhajan, but when I sang the lines Ishwar Allah Tero Naam as a part of the bhajan Raghupati Raghav Raja Ram, a section of the audience objected and started to protest.
They also loudly shouted 'Jai Shri Ram' repeatedly. It was unbelievable.
When this protest happened several senior BJP leaders were present -- Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Kumar Sinha, former Union minister and Patna Saheb MP Ravi Shankar Prasad, former Union ministers Ashwani Choubey, Shahnawaz Hussain and several MLAs, former MPs of the party.
These leaders were unable to calm down the protestors. The protest continued and I and the organisers feared that something bad may happen.
At that time some organisers suggested I say sorry to end the protest.
I was invited as a guest by Ashwani Choubey, the main organiser behind the event, and conferred the Atal Vishisht award.
Choubeyji called me Beti and his son Arjit Shashwat called me Behen. Both requested me to sing a bhajan.
I decided to sing Gandhiji's favourite bhajan.
The organisers asked you to apologise to calm down the protestors and you immediately apologised?
Yes, when the protest continued senior BJP leaders appeared confused about what to do and how to pacify the protesting youth, a few organisers requested me to say sorry and chant 'Jai Shri Ram'.
I thought the situation may go out of control. The only way out was to calm them immediately.
I apologised, stopped singing the bhajan, but the protest continued.
My inner soul was not in favour of saying sorry, but I was forced by the situation to do so.
I made it clear that my intention was not to hurt anyone by singing Gandhiji's favourite bhajan, but if it hurt anyone I apologise for it.
After that I sang a devotional song related with Chhath and left the event to catch my flight for Mumbai.
Do you think that what happened with you is an outcome of growing divisions in society?
What happened was shocking and totally wrong. The BJP should identify those involved in the protest against singing Gandhiji's bhajan and take action against them.
Such people should be removed from the party because they harm the BJP's image and its perception.
An incident like this sends a wrong message in society. Such a mindset divides the country. Their act was not good for the country.
It is also the state government's responsibility to take action against such elements.
It was reported that you tried to pacify the protestors by citing India's age old tradition of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam and the tolerance of the Hindu religion.
This is true. I tried to pacify them, but failed. I told them that look Bhagwan belongs to all of us and my intention to sing this bhajan was to remember Lord Ram.
The message is clear -- God is one and has different names.
I told them that we follow our ancient tradition of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam. Our religion Hinduism teaches us that people from every religion are our family.
Indian culture is large-hearted. Hindus are the only ones who accept everyone.
You must not get hurt by this song. If you are hurt, I want to say sorry.
I further informed them that Indian culture is large hearted and liberal. Hindu religion and Hindus are the only people that accept all and everyone.
In context of India, the important thing is unity as Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs and Christians are brothers, all of us belong to the same land.
I strongly believe that humanity is more important than anything. We must embrace humanity. For me personally humanity is the biggest religion.
After what happened with you, Lalu Prasad, Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and JD-U leaders condemned the incident.
Ashwani Choubey's daughter-in-law, who is my friend, called me and expressed regret over what happened during the event.
She said her father-in-law was upset and slammed those involved in the protest.
No senior BJP leader has approached me till date.
Feature Presentation: Aslam Hunani/Rediff.com
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