AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi raises BJP hackles with slogan hailing Palestine

HYDERABAD/ NEW DELHI : AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi on Tuesday stoked controversy by hailing Palestine after taking oath as a member of the Lok Sabha leading to uproar from the treasury benches.

While the Chair ordered Owaisi’s remarks be expunged, the MP said that there was nothing wrong in him saying “Jai Bheem, Jai Meem, Jai Telangana, Jai Palestine”.

“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 said. I said what I had to. Read what Mahatma Gandhi had said about Palestine”.

Asked why he mentioned Palestine, Owaisi said, “They are oppressed people.”

The five-time MP began his oath in Urdu by invoking the name of God and ended it with the slogans that were deemed controversial.

The remarks led to uproar in the Lower House. 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 uproar continued for a few minutes, after which the oath-taking resumed.

Pro-tem Speaker Bhartruhari Mahtab returned to the Chair soon, 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.

“We do not have any enmity with Palestine or any other country. The only issue is, while taking the oath, is it proper for any member to raise the slogan praising another country? We will have to check the rules. Some members have come to me and complained about the raising of the Palestine slogan at the end of oath,” Rijiju said.

Union minister G Kishan Reddy, meanwhile, took a jibe at Owaisi, questioning if he could say “Bharat Mata Ki Jai” (hail mother India). “Living in India, he cannot say ‘Bharat Mata Ki Jai’, but he can hail Palestine. Such people are doing anti-Constitutional work in the name of the Constitution, that should be understood,” Kishan said.

Taking to X (formerly twitter) BJP leader NVS Subhash wrote: “Undemocratic and shameful! @asadowaisi enjoys the benefits of Indian democracy but chants slogans for Palestine, highlighting his anti-national mindset. How can one claim to represent India while supporting foreign interests?”

Meanwhile, 14 other MPs from Telangana also took oath on Tuesday, with eight of them raising the “Jai Telangana” slogan. While most of the MPs took oath in Telugu, Gaddam Vamshi Krishna and Ramasahayam Raghuram Reddy took oath in English.

After taking oath apart from raising the “Jai Telangana” slogan, Mallu Ravi also said “Jai Bheem” and “Jai Constitution”. Similarly Chamala Kiran Kumar Reddy said “Jai Telangana, Jai Yadagiri Laxminarasimha Swamy”, referring to Yadadri temple. Kadiyam Kavya said “Jai Bheem, Save Constitution and Jai Bhadrakali,” referring to the famous Bhadrakali temple in Warangal.

P Balram Naik said “Jai Telangana, Jai Durga Bhavani” while R Raghuram Reddy said “Jai Telangana and Jai Constitution”.

Among the BJP MPs, Godam Nagesh took oath in Hindi, Dharmapuri Arvind, Konda Vishweswar Reddy and M Raghunandan Rao in English, Eatala Rajender and DK Aruna in Telugu.

After taking oath, Raghunandan Rao said “Jai Telangana” slogan and Eatala Rajender said “Jai Telangana, Jai Sammakka – Saralamma”

Meanwhile, Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy, Minister Ponguleti Srinivasa Reddy, former minister K Jana Reddy and other leaders witnessed the Telangana MPs taking oath sitting in the Lok Sabha’s visitor’s gallery.

During Telangana Congress leaders’ visit to Parliament, they spoke to former AICC president and CPP leader Sonia Gandhi.