Asaduddin Owaisi Suspended from Parliament for Slogan Controversy
In a significant development, Asaduddin Owaisi, the president of All India Majlis-E-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) and Member of Parliament from Hyderabad, has been suspended from Parliament for one week. The decision, taken by the Pro-tem Speaker, comes in the wake of a controversy surrounding Owaisi’s oath-taking ceremony.
The Controversy
On Tuesday, during the oath-taking ceremony, Owaisi took the oath in Urdu and concluded it with the slogan “Jai Bheem, Jai Telangana, Jai Palestine.” The mention of “Jai Palestine” sparked immediate objections from Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MPs. Radha Mohan Singh, who was presiding over the ceremony, assured that the controversial part of Owaisi’s slogan would be expunged from the official records of Parliament.
The uproar continued for several minutes, prompting Pro-tem Speaker Bhartruhari Mahtab to reiterate that only the oath or affirmation should be recorded and nothing else.
Suspension from Parliament
Article 102 (1) (d) of the Indian Constitution
The suspension has brought attention to Article 102 (1) (d) of the Indian Constitution, which deals with disqualifications for membership in Parliament. According to this article, a person shall be disqualified for being chosen as, and for being, a member of either House of Parliament if “he is not a citizen of India, or has voluntarily acquired the citizenship of a foreign State, or is under any acknowledgement of allegiance or adherence to a foreign State.”
While Owaisi’s slogan mentioning Palestine does not directly fall under these disqualifications, it has raised concerns about the implications of acknowledging or showing adherence to a foreign state, which in this case is Palestine. Critics argue that such statements may be interpreted as allegiance to a foreign cause, which can be contentious in the context of parliamentary proceedings.
Reactions and Defense
Defending his actions, Owaisi stated that he did not violate any constitutional provisions and pointed out that other members also make various statements during their oaths. He emphasized that his slogan was meant to highlight the plight of oppressed people in Palestine. “Other members are also saying different things… I said ‘Jai Bheem, Jai Telangana, Jai Palestine’. How is it wrong? Tell me the provision of the Constitution [that I violated]. You should also listen to what others said. I said what I had to. Read what Mahatma Gandhi had said about Palestine,” Owaisi asserted.
However, Union Minister G Kishan Reddy criticized Owaisi’s actions, labeling them as “absolutely wrong” and against the rules of the House. “This is against the rules of the House. He does not say ‘Bharat Mata ki Jai’ while living in India… People should understand that he does unconstitutional work while living in the country,” Reddy told ANI.
