New Delhi, June 20 : Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on Thursday while addressing media persons said that chanting of religious slogans would not be allowed in the Parliament.
Earlier in the day, Birla was asked whether he would find it challenging to run the Parliament in the midst of religious chants, he replied saying it would not pose a challenge and would run the Parliament House forward taking all the political leaders together.
He replied that political leaders had every right to chant slogans of ‘Bharat Mata Ki Jai’ and ‘Vande Mataram’. However, Birla has, reportedly, said the Parliament was not the place for sloganeering, showing placards or coming to the well of the House.
This statement from the Speaker of Lower House of Parliament comes two days after chants of ‘Jai Shri Ram’, ‘Vande Mataram’ and ‘Bharat Mata Ki Jai’ were heard in the Parliament while all newly elected MPs took oath during the 17th Lok Sabha.
All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) Chief Asaduddin Owaisi was greeted with slogans of ‘Jai Shri Ram’,’Bharat Mata Ki Jai’ and ‘Vande Mataram’ while taking oath as an MP from Hyderabad constituency. However, he concluded his oath by raising ‘Jai Bheem,Jai Meem, Takbeer Allahu Akbar, Jai Hind’ and took a jibe at the ruling BJP Lok Sabha members saying he hoped they would remember the Indian Constitution as well.
The MPs from the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) were also seen chanting slogans after each member took oath in the Lower House.
Senior Congress leader Sonia Gandhi who retained Rae Baraeli Lok Sabha seat, was welcomed with similar chants of ‘Jai Shri Ram’ and ‘Bharat Mata Ki Jai’ while taking oath in the newly-elected Lok Sabha.
The slogans of ‘Mandir wahin Banayenge(Temple will be built there) were raised when BJP MP Sakshi Maharaj, from Uttar Pradesh’s Unnao was taking oath as a member of the Lower House.
Congress President Rahul Gandhi was also greeted with similar religious chants in the Lok Sabha.
