Owaisi’s Controversial ‘Jai Palestine’ Chant during Lok Sabha Oath Sparks Debate

During the Lok Sabha oath-taking ceremony, Asaduddin Owaisi, the President of All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) and MP from Hyderabad, stirred controversy by concluding his oath with the slogan ‘Jai Bheem, Jai Telangana, Jai Palestine‘.

The unexpected mention of the conflict-hit West Asian region immediately drew objections from Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MPs present, with Radha Mohan Singh presiding over the session and assuring that the slogan would be expunged from the official records of Parliament.

Pro-tem Speaker Bhartruhari Mahtab later emphasized that only the oath or affirmation was to be recorded and urged all members to stick to that protocol in future ceremonies.

In defense of his slogan, Owaisi maintained that he had not breached any constitutional provisions and highlighted the relevance of his statement by referencing Mahatma Gandhi‘s stance on Palestine and urging people to read Gandhi’s perspectives on the matter.

Union Minister G Kishan Reddy criticized Owaisi’s slogan as ‘absolutely wrong’ and stated that it went against the rules of the House, further depicting Owaisi’s actions as ‘unconstitutional’.

Owaisi, outside Parliament, explained that his mention of ‘Palestine’ was in solidarity with the oppressed people in the region, asserting the importance of understanding the suffering in Palestine.

Owaisi, a five-time MP from Hyderabad, secured victory in the recent elections, defeating BJP candidate Madhavi Latha by a significant margin, reaffirming his stronghold in the region.