In the aftermath of the election results, a certain segment of the media tends to play a role in generating a negative narrative against the BJP. Following the Congress’ triumph in the recent Assembly elections in Karnataka, a journalist from ‘News 24’ named Rajiv Ranjan, who hosts the show ‘Mahaul Kya Hai,’ was caught engaging in such activities. However, he received a fitting response from Mohammad Faiz Khan, a Gorakshak. The video of this incident has now become viral on social media. Mohammad Faiz Khan asked the journalist how is Bajrang Bali’s slogan communal. He also explained why a slogan like Jai Shri Ram cannot be termed communal.
While hosting his show on News 24, journalist Rajiv Ranjan often travels to different locations and engages in conversations with people. On Sunday, May 14, 2023, he was at Connaught Place in Delhi. During the show’s introduction, he voiced criticisms against the Bharatiya Janata Party, accusing its leaders of engaging in religious politics. He further asserted that the BJP’s defeat in Karnataka indicated a shift in the country’s sentiment. However, as Rajiv Ranjan proceeded to ask questions to the public, their responses contradicted his claims, indicating a different perspective.
A person said while responding to the journalist, “For the past nine and a half years, the nation has consistently expressed confidence in the achievements of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. This steadfast support reflects the essence of democracy, where the ebb and flow of victories and defeats are inherent. In the event of the BJP experiencing a setback in Karnataka, it is anticipated that the party will emerge triumphant in other parts of the country. Regardless of individual state outcomes, Narendra Modi is poised to continue leading the nation and potentially secure a victory in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.” He denied that Karnataka was deciding the future of the country.
Following that, Rajiv Ranjan began suggesting that the BJP’s strong emphasis on chanting ‘Jai Bajrang Bali’ and fostering animosity towards Tipu Sultan might indicate a decline in Narendra Modi’s charisma. In response, the individual countered it by stating that it is inappropriate to make sweeping judgments based on isolated instances. When the journalist likened the situation to discerning whether an entire pot of rice is cooked by merely examining a single grain, the person asserted that the mood of the entire country cannot be accurately determined by the outcome of a single state, highlighting the need for a broader perspective.
The individual made it unequivocal that the BJP upholds the slogan ‘Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas’ (Together with all, Development for all) and holds no intention of promoting animosity or harbouring prejudice against any particular religion. They emphasized that slogans such as ‘Jai Bajrang Bali’ or ‘Allahu Akbar’ are religious in nature, not political. However, journalist Rajiv Ranjan interjected by suggesting that there is aggression associated with the phrase ‘Jai Shri Ram’. In response, the person clarified that in this context, ‘Shri’ signifies the revered deity, Lakshmi, indicating a positive connotation rather than any form of aggression.
Additionally, he explained that ‘Shri’ symbolizes the empowerment of women. In response to this, the journalist from ‘News 24’ attempted to discredit the significance of the ‘Jai Shri Ram’ slogan by pointing out its emergence in the 1990s. However, the person countered by questioning the longstanding existence of ‘Lord Shri Narayana’. To the journalist’s astonishment, the man revealed his own name as Mohammad Faiz Khan. He candidly stated that he is a dedicated cow protector (gau sevak). Mohammad Faiz Khan acknowledged that his name might have caused preconceived notions, but he emphasized that his fair-mindedness contradicts any preconceived biases like the one this journalist had.
When the journalist asked Mohammad Faiz Khan about the row about increasing cow vigilantism in the country and trouble created by Gau Rakshaks, Mohammad Faiz Khan said, “The number of such cases is negligible if you consider the number Gau Rakshaks being persecuted. So many cow protectors have given their lives, and many others sustained severe injuries while freeing cows from the cow traffickers. The row being created is nothing compared to it. We have the records of all the Gau Rakshaks. So many people gave their whole life and all their earnings for this work.”
Mohammad Faiz Khan said, “I can chant the whole Hanuman Chalisa. I am from Raipur in Chhattisgarh.” He also chanted a few verses from Hanuman Chalisa. Mohammad Faiz Khan also knows Gayatri Mantra. He said that he is not a member of any political party.
