Assam Speaker says “Jai Shri Ram” not a religious slogan

Devabrata Dutta

GUWAHATI: Biswajit Daimary, Speaker of Assam Legislative Assembly on Saturday said that the slogan “Jai Shri Ram” is not a religious one.

Upon being asked by InsideNE on Bharatiya Janata Party legislators chanting ‘Jai Shri Ram’ as soon as the Assam Cattle Preservation Bill 2021 passed in the Assembly on Friday evening, the Speaker countered with, “Jai Shri Ram is not a religious slogan.”

Tribal leader Daimary, who is the 21st and first-ever Assembly Speaker of Assam from the Bodo community, addressed the media today as the first session of the 15th Assam Legislative Assembly sine die yesterday.

The 50-year-old Speaker informed that the house has passed as many as 17 bills in its first session including ‘The Assam Cattle Preservation Bill, 2021.’

Also Read: BJP legislators shout ‘Jai Sri Ram’ as Assam Assembly passes Cattle Bill

Asked by InsideNE whether religious chants are constitutional or even allowed inside the house, the speaker at first denied the reports of religious chants ringing out inside the house.

After InsideNE specifically pointed out the chants of ‘Jai Shri Ram’ being heard right after the bill being passed, the Speaker replied, "That is not a religious slogan.”

BJP supporters have turned this religious slogan of Hindus to depict the victory of Lord Ram into a political battle cry in recent times.

Many were forced to chant this slogan as an act of proving their patriotism, including a journalist named Anmol Pritam from National Dastak recently. The incident was recorded on camera throughout.

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