All India Majlis-E-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) chief Asaduddin Owaisi on Tuesday, while taking the oath at the 18th Lok Sabha session, triggered massive outrage from the BJP by saying ‘Jai Palestine’ while concluding his oath.
The AIMIM President, elected from the Hyderabad constituency for his fifth term, took his oath in Urdu. He concluded it by saying ‘Jai Bheem’, ‘Jai Meem’, ‘Jai Telangana’, ‘Jai Palestine’, which sparked criticism from the BJP.
Watch the video below:
BJP Party Criticized Asaduddin Owaisi’s Remarks
Pro-tem Speaker of the 18th Lok Sabha swearing-in session, Bhartruhari Mahtab, said that only the oath or affirmation is being recorded, as he had previously intimated to avoid invoking anything other than oath which had to be adhered to.
Union Minister G Kishan Reddy said it is “absolutely wrong”, and unconstitutional, as it is against the rules of the House and the Constitution of India.
BJP MP Radha Mohan Singh objected to Asaduddin Owaisi’s slogan and assured that it would be expunged from the official records.
BJP IT Cell Head Amit Malviya, in a post on X said “As per extant rules, Asaduddin Owaisi can be disqualified from his Lok Sabha membership, for demonstrating adherence to foreign state, that is Palestine.”
Asaduddin Owaisi: “Jai Bheem”, “Jai Telangana”, “Jai Palestine”
In his defense, Owaisi said, “There is nothing wrong about it. Other members are also saying different things…How is it wrong? Tell me the provision of the Constitution? You should also listen to what others say. I said what I had to. Read what Mahatma Gandhi had said about Palestine.”
Many pro-BJP voices on the internet said that Owaisi should be disqualified under Article 102-1(d) of the Indian Constitution.
What is Article 102-1(d)?
Disqualification for membership: —(d) if he is not a citizen of India, or has voluntarily acquired the citizenship of a foreign State, or is under any acknowledgement of allegiance or adherence to a foreign State.
18th Lok Sabha Session Highlights
The 18th Lok Sabha’s two-day swearing in ceremony began on Monday at the New Parliament House. Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed media before the commencement of the session. Owaisi took the oath on the second day, The pro-tem Speaker of this session has been BJP’s Bhartruhari Mahtab.
On the first day of the session, around 262 newly elected MPs took the oath, including Narendra Modi, Rajnath Singh, Amit Shah, and Nitin Gadkari. On the second day prominent figures such as Rahul Gandhi, Akhilesh Yadav, Dimple Yadav, Hema Malini, and Kanimozhi Karunanidhi were among those who took the oath for the first session of the 18th Lok Sabha.
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