AIMIM President and MP Asaduddin Owaisi sparked a major controversy by expressing his support for Palestine during his oath-taking ceremony as a member of the Lok Sabha. Owaisi, who emerged victorious in the Hyderabad Lok Sabha elections, concluded his oath with the words, “Jai Bhim, Jai Meem, Jai Telangana, Jai Palestine.”
Palestine, a region within Israel, is predominantly Muslim. In response to a deadly attack on Israel, which occurred in October last year, Israel launched a comprehensive offensive against Hamas, a militant group that controls the Palestinian enclave of Gaza.
Owaisi’s statement has drawn criticism from many, who question whether such a slogan is appropriate within the Lok Sabha. Sumiran Komarraju, in charge of Telangana BJP’s social media, strongly condemned Owaisi and called for his permanent disqualification from participating in elections.
In a tweet, Komarraju stated, “It is disgraceful that @asadowaisi chants ‘Jai Palestine’ after taking the oath as an MP from Hyderabad. He enjoys the freedom and democratic rights provided by India but advocates for other nations. This individual should be permanently barred from contesting elections.” Another social media user named Nandini described Owaisi’s slogan as “shameful and disgusting” and expressed hope that the Lok Sabha would take appropriate action against him.
Rohit Choudhary, another user, expressed his belief that Owaisi should face legal consequences for his actions. He pointed out that while Owaisi boldly declares ‘Jai Palestine’, he conveniently forgets about the innocent child who lost their life due to terrorist activities in Jammu’s Reasi. Choudhary expressed his disappointment by stating, “There are no words to describe the situation in Reasi. Owaisi, you should be ashamed.”
In response to this incident, Kiren Rijiju, the Minister of Parliamentary Affairs, commented that the House would need to review the regulations to determine if such a slogan is appropriate. Rijiju emphasized that there is no animosity towards Palestine or any other nation. He questioned the propriety of a member raising a slogan in praise of another country while taking the oath. Rijiju concluded by stating that the rules would need to be examined to ascertain their appropriateness.