Insult to parliament; religious heckling in Lok Sabha

Mangalore Today News Network

New Delhi, Jun 19, 2019 : A virtual slogan-shouting contest between the treasury and Opposition benches overshadowed the second round of oath-taking by members in the 17th Lok Sabha on Tuesday, 18 June, with some raising religious slogans like ‘Jai Shri Ram’, ‘Allahu Akbar’ and ‘Jai Maa Kali’, and one MP chanting ‘Inquilab Zindabad,’ reported PTI.

 

All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) President Asaduddin Owaisi was met with slogans of ’Jai Shri Ram’, ’Bharat Mata Ki Jai’ and ’Vande Mataram’ from the treasury benches when the Hyderabad MP moved to take his oath.

After taunting the saffron camp with hand gestures to continue with their sloganeering, Owaisi responded by saying, ’Jai Bheem, Jai Meem, Takbeer Allahu Akbar, Jai Hind’ after he read out his oath.

’Jai Shri Ram’ and ’Bharat Mata ki Jai’ slogans were also raised while chairperson Sonia Gandhi took oath in Hindi.

Twitterati condemned the religious sloganeering and said the hecklers insulted the institution of the Parliament during oath-taking.

Journalist Rifat Jawaid termed the incident “shameful and a great disservice to their religion.

Columnist Mihir Sharma said it reflected “majoritarian bullying on the most solemn of constitutional occasions.”


“Ram is Maryada Purshottam: he belongs to all.. don’t reduce him to a partisan political figure,” journalist Rajdeep Sardesai slammed the heckling Opposition MPs, adding that the “treasury bench netas should be ashamed.”

Congress spokesperson Jaiveer Shergill said the religious chanting let down the drafters of the Constitution and its principles.

“This is Parliament, not a cricket stadium,” journalist Manak Gupta quipped.