A huge debate has broken out over patriotism and nationalism after All-India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen chief Asaduddin Owaisi refused to chant 'Bharat Mata ki Jai'.
Prithviraj Chavan's statement has created another controversy for the ruling alliance in Maharashtra.
Congress spokesman Manish Tewari said the BJP-led government needs to seriously think about the path it wants to take on the issue in the 150th year of Mahatma Gandhi's birthday.
The Bharatiya Janata Party-Shiv Sena alliance looked set to return to power in Maharashtra while Haryana could be a cliffhanger with no clear majority for the BJP or the Congress, Election Commission trends indicated.