AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi’s comments after taking his oath as a Lok Sabha member have stirred a significant political controversy. Following his oath, taken in Urdu, Asaduddin Owaisi expressed support for Palestine, praised Telangana and his party, which led to an immediate backlash from members of the treasury benches.
Reactions from Parliament members
The presiding officer at the time, BJP leader Radha Mohan Singh, assured members that any statements beyond the formal oath would not be recorded. Pro Tem Speaker Bhartruhari Mahtab confirmed that only the oath or affirmation was officially noted.
Asaduddin Owaisi defended his remarks outside Parliament, asserting, “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 the Constitution. You should also listen to what others said. I said what I had to. Read what Mahatma Gandhi had said about Palestine.”
Sworn in as member of Lok Sabha for the fifth time. Inshallah I will continue to raise issues of India’s marginalised with sinceritypic.twitter.com/OloVk6D65B
— Asaduddin Owaisi (@asadowaisi) June 25, 2024
Call for action
Union Minister Shobha Karandlaje has written to the Home Minister’s office, objecting to Owaisi’s speech and seeking action. She also requested the pro tem Speaker to ask Owaisi to retake the oath.
Historical context and comparison
This incident is reminiscent of a similar event in the Rajya Sabha earlier this year when AAP’s Swati Maliwal was instructed by the Chairman to retake her oath after raising a slogan while reading it out.
Ongoing political developments
The controversy adds to the current political tensions surrounding the naming of the Speaker of the Lok Sabha. The BJP’s efforts to reach a consensus over reappointing Om Birla as Speaker failed, with the INDIA bloc nominating eight-time MP K Suresh for the post.
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This situation marks the first time elections will be held for the Speaker of the lower house, deviating from the tradition of electing the Lok Sabha Speaker and Deputy Speaker by consensus.
Asaduddin Owaisi’s remarks hailing Palestine have ignited a political storm, with varying reactions from Parliament members and calls for action from Union Ministers. This incident underscores the heightened political sensitivities and the ongoing challenges in reaching consensus within the current Lok Sabha.
