On Tuesday, AIMIM president and Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi’s controversial slogans after taking the oath as a member of the 18th Lok Sabha were expunged from Parliament records. The incident occurred amid uproar from the treasury benches, prompting Radha Mohan Singh, who was presiding at the time, to assure members that anything beyond the official oath would not be recorded.
Pro tem Speaker Bhartruhari Mahtab reiterated that all slogans used by newly elected MPs during the oath-taking ceremony would be expunged. Owaisi, who was sworn in for the fifth time, later stated on X (formerly Twitter) that he remains committed to raising issues concerning India’s marginalized communities with sincerity.
During Owaisi’s oath-taking, BJP MPs chanted ‘Jai Shri Ram’, but Owaisi, unfazed by the interruptions, took his oath in Urdu and concluded with the controversial slogan “Jai Bhim, Jai Meem, Jai Telangana, and Jai Palestine”. This led to objections from BJP MP Shobha Karandlaje, which resulted in presiding officer Radha Mohan Singh ordering the slogan’s removal from the official record.
Owaisi, who defeated BJP candidate Madhavi Latha by a margin of 3.3 lakh votes in the Hyderabad constituency during the 2024 Lok Sabha election, defended his actions outside Parliament. He argued there was no constitutional provision barring his slogan. “How is it wrong? Tell me the provisions of the Constitution? You should also listen to what others said. I said what I had to,” Owaisi remarked.
Union Minister G. Kishan Reddy criticized Owaisi’s slogan, calling it “absolutely wrong” and against the Constitution. He accused Owaisi of hypocrisy, noting that while taking an oath in the name of the Constitution, he simultaneously promoted a slogan that contradicted it. “The real face of Owaisi is out. Every day, they raise issues against the country and the Constitution,” Reddy asserted.
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju also condemned Owaisi’s actions, stating, “We do not support or oppose any country, but it is not right to take the name of any country in the House.”
The controversy highlights ongoing tensions within Indian politics, particularly around expressions of identity and support for international causes during official parliamentary proceedings. As the debate continues, Owaisi remains firm in his stance, emphasizing his constitutional right to express his views.
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