Chandigarh, Apr 04 (NDTV): Yoga guru Baba Ramdev has controversially said that he would have "beheaded" those who refuse to chant "Bharat Mata ki Jai" were it not for the law of the land.

"We respect this country's law and Constitution, otherwise if anybody disrespects Bharat Mata, we have the capability of beheading not one but thousands and lakhs," said the yoga guru at a Sadhbhavna Sammelan or meeting for harmony organised by the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, the ideological mentor of the ruling BJP, in Haryana.

The opposition has been attacking the government and its supporters for trying to define what equals patriotism.

"Baba Ramdev's threat to " cut heads off " at #RSS meet is a call to violent action & public intimidation. Mr Modi, await your action. Now!" tweeted Sanjay Jha of the Congress.

Baba Ramdev said chanting "Bharat Mata ki Jai" was an affirmation of faith in the motherland and had nothing to do with religious beliefs.

The yoga guru's comments came a day after the country's largest Islamic seminary 'Darul Uloom Deoband' issued a "fatwa" saying, "'Bharat Mata Ki Jai' is not in consonance with Islam and we will not say it. But we love our country immensely and we can raise slogans like 'Hindustan Zindabad' and 'Madre Vatan (motherland)'." Some Muslim leaders - like politician Asaduddin Owaisi - have said that "Bharat Mata" violates the Islamic tenet against idol worship.

The controversy has been raging for weeks, and escalated over the weekend partly due to Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis stating, "Those who can't praise Bharat Mata don't have the right to live in this country."

Last month, Mohan Bhagwat, chief of the BJP's ideological mentor, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh or RSS, had said the country's youth should be taught to chant slogans like Bharat Mata ki Jai in praise of the country.