After finishing his oath, Asaduddin Owaisi hailed war-ravaged Palestine, triggering an uproar from the treasury benches. “Jai Palestine,” the AIMIM MP said.
18th Lok Sabha: AIMIM supremo Asaduddin Owaisi Tuesday triggered a controversy as he mentioned war-torn Palestine after taking oath as a Lok Sabha MP in the Upper House of the Parliament. “Jai Bhim, Jai Meem, Jai Telangana, Jai Palestine,” the Hyderabad MP said after his oath taking.
Owaisi, who has been elected from the Hyderabad seat for his fifth term, took oath in Urdu and also recited a prayer before taking oath.
After taking his oath, Owaisi hailed his home state Telangana and Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar. He also chanted ‘Jai Meem’– a popular slogan raised by some political parties who claim both Muslims and Dalits in the country have been marginalised.
The AIMIM leader also hailed war-ravaged Palestine, triggering an uproar from the treasury benches that led to the Chair striking it off record. “Jai Palestine,” Owaisi said, sparking outrage from some members.
Asaduddin Owaisi chants ‘Jai Palestine’ after taking oath as MP.
This is the same Owaisi who refuses to say ‘Vande Mataram’ and keeps opposing it. pic.twitter.com/cGwIUeOj7P
— Varun Kumar Rana (@VarunKrRana) June 25, 2024
The disturbance continued for few minutes, after which the oath-taking resumed.
Radha Mohan Singh, who was in the Chair at the time, assured the members that anything apart from the oath will not go on record. Soon, Pro-tem Speaker Bhartruhari Mahtab returned to the Chair and said that only oath or affirmation is being recorded.
“I have said earlier please avoid invoking anything other than oath or affirmation. That is only to be recorded… That should be adhered to,” Mahtab said.
Talking reporters outside Parliament, Owaisi defended mentioning the conflict-hit west Asian nation, asserting “they (Palestinians) are oppressed people”.
“Other members are also saying different things… I said ‘Jai Bheem, Jai Meem, Jai Telangana, Jai Palestine’. How is it wrong? Tell me the provision of Constitution?,” he asked.
“You should also listen to what others said. I said what I had to. Read what Mahatma Gandhi had said about Palestine.”
Meanwhile, Union Minister G Kishan Reddy attacked Owaisi over the matter, Union Minister G Kishan Reddy claimed the ‘Jai Palestine’ slogan was “absolutely wrong” and goes against the Indian Constitution.
(With PTI inputs)
