AIMIM MP Asaduddin Owaisi takes oath as a member of the House during the first session of the 18th Lok Sabha (PTI)
NEW DELHI: AIMIM leader Asaduddin Owaisi Tuesday hailed a conflict-hit West Asian region after taking oath as Lok Sabha member, triggering an uproar from the treasury benches that led to the Chair striking it off record.
Owaisi, 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 his oath, he hailed his state Telangana, Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar, apart from raising the AIMIM's slogan for Muslim.
Owaisi also hailed a west Asian region that is presently facing conflict and has been in focus. This was objected to by some members of the treasury benches, leading to an uproar after he finished his oath.
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 disturbance continued for 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, Owaisi asserted he said "Jai Palestine".
"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 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".