I would be happy if Muslims say 'Bharat Mata Ki Jai': Eshwarappa

Former minister K S Eshwarappa said that he would be happy if Muslim organisations raise slogans of 'Bharat Mata Ki Jai' and 'Vande Mataram'.

He told media persons on Monday that they (Muslims) must understand that they are born in India, they are eating the food grown here, drinking water from rivers which are flowing here and breathing air from here. "So, they are citizens of India. I would be very happy if they raise slogans of 'Bharat Mata Ki Jai' and 'Vande Mataram'."

Also read: Follow Karnataka High Court Hijab verdict, if you want to stay in India, Eshwarappa warns Muslim students

Regarding Congress leaders' attack on RSS, he said, "They have realised that BJP's strength is RSS. So they are criticising it. Though India completed 75 years of Independence, there was no attempt to build Ram Mandir in Ayodhya before BJP came to power at the Centre. Now, it is being built".

"After completing 75 years of Independence, we got to know there was Shiva Ling in the mosque. Now, it is said that a mosque has been constructed after demolishing Krishna temple in Mathura. It is said that 36,000 temples had been demolished in India and mosques had been constructed there. We want those temples to be reconstructed again. RSS revealed the truth. So Congress leaders are blaming RSS,'' he said.