Petition to CM regarding Bharat Mata portrait

March 13, 2016
The Hon. Chief Minister,
Govt. of Maharashtra,
Mantralaya,
Mumbai 400 021.

Respected Sir,
Sub: Displaying the picture of BHARATMATA in all Govt., semi Govt. offices/ depts../ Corporations
In reference to the above, we have to submit the following:
It has been a practice since Independence, that all Govt. Offices, Semi Govt. offices, Municipal corporations, Govt. linked schools install / display prominently,  pictures of our Father of the Nation – Gandhiji and other prominent leaders from time to time in their premises.
This is as a mark of respect for the leaders and also as an education and inspiration to the new generation.
 In Maharashtra, currently Government offices have to display portraits and photographs of the following leaders, namely :
Mahatma Gandhi,
Incumbent President and the Prime Minister,
Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar
Shivaji Maharaj
Jyotiba and Savitribai Phule
Shahu Maharaj
Jijamata
Annabhau Sathe
And currently added Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhyay
While perusing the above list, the portraits of Shahu, Phule, Jijamata and Annabhau Sathe were added by the Congress- NCP Govt. with a clear eye on the votebanks.
What is really shocking is the omission of the portrait of our MOTHER INDIA – Bharat Mata for all Govt. offices.
The image of Bhāratmātā formed with the Indian independence movement of the late 19th century. A play by Kiran Chandra Bannerjee,Bhārat Mātā, was first performed in 1873. Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay's in 1882 wrote a novel Anandamath. introduced the hymn "Vande Mātaram" which soon became the song of the emerging freedom movement in India.
Bipin Chandra Pal elaborated its meaning in idealizing and idealist terms, along with Hindu philosophical traditions and devotional practices. It represented an archaic spiritual essence, a transcendental idea of Universe as well as expressing Universal Hinduism and nationhood.
Rabindranath Tagore portrayed Bhārat Mātā as a four-armed Hindu goddess wearing saffron-colored robes, holding the vedas, sheaves of rice, a mala, and a white cloth.
The image of Bharat Mata was an icon to create nationalist feeling in Indians during the freedom struggle. Sister Nivedita, an admirer of the painting, opined that the picture was refined and imaginative, with Bharat Mata standing on green earth and blue sky behind her; feet with four lotuses, four arms meaning divine power; white halo and sincere eyes; and gifts Shiksha-Diksha-Anna-Bastra of motherland to her children.
Famous Indian Independence activism Subramania Bharati saw Bharat Mata as the land of Ganga.He identified Bharat Mata as Parashakti.
The depiction of India as a Hindu goddess implies that it is not just the patriotic but also the religious duty of all Indians to participate in the nationalist struggle to defend the nation.
The motto Bharat Mata ki Jai’ ("Victory for Mother India") is used by the Indian Army.
We request you to please pass a resolution / GR making it compulsory for all Govt. Offices, Semi Govt. Offices  and Corporations to display the portrait / image of Bharat Mata in their premises as a mark of respect to our mother land.
Regards,
For Consumer Protection Service Council,
Ganesh Gopal Joshi ( 9987086777)   Dayanand Nene ( 8879528575)
National President      National Secretary