'Jai Palestine': Asaduddin Owaisi's Slogan After Lok Sabha Oath-taking Stirs Row, Union Minister Seeks Action | Watch

AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi sparked a controversy by chanting ‘Jai Palestine’ slogan as he concluded his oath as an MP on the second day of the 18th Lok Sabha session in Parliament on Tuesday. His words triggered the BJP’s ire, with Union minister Shobha Karandlaje registering a formal complaint against him.

Karandlaje sought action against Owaisi by writing to the Speaker and the home minister, asking for his speech to be taken off parliamentary record. She also demanded that he must be made to take his oath again without the slogan.

Asked about why he hailed the conflict-hit West Asian region, the Hyderabad MP said: “They are oppressed people,” adding, “everyone is saying a lot of things… I just said ‘Jai Bhim, Jai Meem, Jai Telangana, Jai Palestine’ …How is it against the Constitution? Show me where this provision is there in the Constitution… You should also listen to what others said. I said what I had to. Read what Mahatma Gandhi had said about Palestine.”

He took his oath in Urdu and also recited a prayer before it. After his oath, he hailed his state Telangana, Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar, apart from raising the AIMIM’s slogan for Muslim. He also hailed Palestine, which is presently facing conflict and has been in focus.

But, after objections by some members of the treasury benches, this led to an uproar after he finished his oath. It was also struck off record and 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.

The disturbance continued for few minutes, after which the oath-taking resumed. Pro-tem Speaker Bhartruhari Mahtab returned to the Chair soon, and said 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.

Asked about Owaisi’s words during the oath-taking, parliamentary affairs minister Kiren Rijiju said: “We do not have any enmity with Palestine or any other country. While taking the oath, is it proper for any member to raise the slogan praising another country? We will have to check the rules if it is appropriate…”

Union minister G Kishan Reddy, meanwhile, said Owaisi’s slogan was wrong and against the rules of the House. He said being an Indian citizen, the AIMIM leader does not say ‘Bharat Mata ki Jai’. “The slogan ‘Jai Palestine’ given by AIMIM MP Asaduddin Owaisi in Parliament today is absolutely wrong. This is against the rules of the House. He does not say ‘Bharat Mata ki Jai’ while living in India… People should understand that he does unconstitutional work while living in the country,” he said.

(With PTI inputs)