All India Majlis-E-Ittehadul Muslimeen leader Asaduddin Owaisi Tuesday hailed a conflict-hit West Asian country after taking oath as a member of the 18th Lok Sabha, triggering an uproar from the treasury benches that led to the Chair ordering that the remarks be expunged.
Owaisi, however, justified his slogans after he came out of the House and told reporters there was nothing wrong in him saying "Jai Bheem, Jai Meem, Jai Telangana, Jai Palestine".
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju, meanwhile, said he has received complaints from some members about the mention of Palestine.
Asked about his remarks, Owaisi told reporters, "Other members are also saying different things... 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".
Asked why he mentioned Palestine, he said, "They are oppressed people."
The AIMIM leader, who has been elected from the Hyderabad seat for his fifth term, took oath in Urdu. He also recited a prayer before taking oath.
After taking oath, he hailed his state Telangana, Bhimrao Ambedkar, apart from raising the AIMIM's slogan for Muslim, along with the West Asian country.
His remarks led to uproar in the Lower House. Radha Mohan Singh, who was in the Chair at the time, assured the members that anything apart from the oath will not go on record.
The uproar continued for a few minutes, after which the oath-taking resumed.
Pro-tem Speaker Bhartruhari Mahtab returned to the Chair soon, and said that only oath or affirmation is being recorded.
"I have said earlier please avoid invoking anything other than oath or affirmation. That is only to be recorded... That should be adhered to," Mahtab said.
Talking to reporters outside Parliament later, Rijiju said he would check the rules regarding remarks.
"We do not have any enmity with Palestine or any other country. The only issue is, while taking the oath, is it proper for any member to raise the slogan praising another country? We will have to check the rules. Some members have come to me and complained about raising of Palestine slogan at the end of oath," Rijiju said.
Union Minister G Kishan Reddy, meanwhile, took a jibe at Owaisi, questioning if he could say "Bharat Mata Ki Jai" (hail mother India).
He said Owaisi's remarks were "totally wrong and against the rules of Parliament". "Living in India, he cannot say 'Bharat Mata Ki Jai', but he can hail Palestine. Such people are doing anti-Constitutional work in the name of Constitution, that should be understood."
BJP leader Amit Malviya, meanwhile, objected to the prayer said by Owaisi.
"Palestine apart, is invoking religious idioms kosher, while taking oath in secular India? Is Owaisi guilty of infusing religion and communalising a solemn occasion?" Malviya said in a post on X.
Malviya claimed Owaisi could be disqualified for this.
"As per extant rules, Asaduddin Owaisi can be disqualified from his Lok Sabha membership, for demonstrating adherence to a foreign State, that is Palestine."
He posted the clip of the rule that said "any acknowledgement of allegiance or adherence to a foreign state" as one of the factors for disqualifying a member.
