BJP anthem, featuring Modi, pledges to keep country proud

Brushing aside criticism that the BJP poll campaign is too prime-ministerial-candidate centric, the party on Tuesday launched its poll anthem “Mai Desh Nahi Jhukne Dunga (I will not allow country to bow down)”. Narendra Modi lends his voice to the first few lines, the rest being performed by Sukhwinder Singh.

The anthem, which was launched by BJP veteran Arun Jaitley at the party headquarters, has been conceptualised and written by Prasoon Joshi and Team Tag, while the music has been composed by Aadesh Shrivastava.

The anthem is in audio and video formats, and only in Hindi, but other publicity material are in different languages, Jaitley told reporters. A clip of the anthem was played for mediapersons.

The anthem has been titled “Saugandh”–a pledge to the nation. It talks of the mood of despondency in the country and seeks a collective pledge to ensure that the country gets back to the path of progress, said the BJP.

When asked why Modi figures in the anthem, Jaitley said a person being projected as prime minister has to be the centre of the poll campaign. In the anthem, Modi expresses his resolve to ensure that the country will stand tall and proud, and that the recent setbacks will not be allowed to come in the way of India’s glorious future, according to the BJP. 

Earlier, RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat had taken objection to the “NaMo” chant gripping the BJP, and all advertisements on different communication platforms projecting only Modi.

On Monday, even party president Rajnath SIngh had tweeted: “Abki bar BJP sarkar (BJP government this time)”, which was seen as a response to criticism, but later tweeted: “Abki Bar Modi sarkar (Modi government this time)”, which is the slogan of the
party.

Prasoon Joshi had earlier penned former Delhi chief minister Sheila Dikshit's poll anthem for the recent Delhi Assembly elections.