Madhya Pradesh: BJP, Congress cross swords over campaign song ‘copied from Pakistan’

Ruling BJP and opposition Congress have crossed swords in poll-bound Madhya Pradesh over a Congress ‘Jan Aakrosh Yatra’ theme song, with the BJP accusing the Congress of copying it from campaign song of Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI).

The Congress has retaliated by sharing videos of earlier BJP campaign song in Rajasthan and the Jannayak Janta Party (JJP) campaign song in Haryana apparently also made on lines of PTI theme songs. The party also shared clippings from April 2019 of the Pakistan Army accusing Telangana BJP MLA Raja Singh of copying the song from its Pakistan Day song to pay tributes to the Indian army.

The Congress theme song in question has key lines saying ‘chalo chalo Congress ke sang chalo chalo’ (walk with the Congress). On Monday morning, Madhya Pradesh BJP media in-charge Ashish Agrawal and spokesperson Narendra Saluja shared a mixed clip of PTI theme song ‘chalo chalo Imran ke saath’ (walk with Imran) and the Congress theme song on social media platform X to bash the opposition party for its ‘love for Pakistan’.

Later, home minister and government spokesperson Narottam Mishra also took jibe at the Congress over the theme song. “Chacha Jaan (reference to Kamal Nath) has stolen theme song of its Jan Akrosh Yatra, Chalo Chalo, from Pakistan. It was because of Kamal Nath ji's ‘chalo chalo’ that the party lost 28 MLAs, lost its government and also its credibility in the state. The public is also going to make Congress ‘chalo chalo’ (shoo out) in the assembly elections,” he said.

Soon after, the Congress media department got active on the issue. Chairman of the department, K.K. Mishra shared a BJP campaign song from Rajasthan ‘Chalo chalo BJP walo raaj laava’ and a news clipping of Pakistan military spokesman accusing Raja Singh of copying its song.

“Just one song from Congress's campaign got the BJP people upset! Are you talking about that Pakistan whose head invites the Pakistan PM to his oath ceremony? Go to eat biryani uninvited and offer flowers at Jinnah's tomb? By misusing the name of Pakistan, get our soldiers martyred for electoral gains? Whose BJP officials posted in DRDO are arrested while spying for Pak intelligence agency ISI? Whose MLA in Hyderabad released a publicity song by copying a song from the Pakistan military. In Rajasthan too, a song on the same lines was a part of your campaign. With what stained face are they blaming Congress? Before saying anything in haste, check the character of your party and leaders, burning your own tongue by drinking hot drinks is one of the habits of these hypocrites,” he said on X in Hindi.

Madhya Pradesh Congress media advisor Piyush Babele shared a campaign song of JJP and a comparative campaign song of PTI, saying “BJP's only mantra is stealing and then going on the offensive. The song of Pakistan's Imran Khan has been copied by Dushyant Chautala, deputy chief minister of Haryana's BJP government. Film Expert Narottam Mishra ji, listen to both the songs and tell us from where you get so much love for Pakistan?”

Spokesperson Sangeeta Sharma also shared a news link about the Raja Singh-Pakistan military episode and said: “BJP, which loves the British and Pakistan, stole the tune of Pakistan's song. Does the BJP not trust Indian musicians? Researcher of films, home minister Narottam Mishra, please do a Google search before speaking!”