Owaisi summoned by UP court over pro-Palestine slogan in Parliament

Lawyer Virendra Gupta filed a petition against Owaisi over the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) leader voicing support for Palestine during his oath-taking ceremony in Parliament

Bareilly: A local court has directed AIMIM supremo Asaduddin Owaisi to appear before it over a plea that claimed he had violated the Constitution by raising a slogan hailing Palestine in Parliament. Lawyer Virendra Gupta filed a petition against Owaisi over the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) leader voicing support for Palestine during his oath-taking ceremony in Parliament.

Gupta said in his plea that the five-time MP had violated constitutional and legal beliefs. He told reporters on Tuesday that a petition was filed in the MP/MLA court on July 12, but it was rejected. Gupta then filed a revision petition in the district judge court.

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District Judge Sudhir allowed the petition and issued a notice to Owaisi on Saturday, asking him to appear before the court on January 7.

Gupta said Owaisi’s slogan hurt him. His slogan was against the Constitution, he added.

Owaisi took oath as Hyderabad MP on June 25. After his oath-taking ceremony, he hailed the conflict-hit West Asian country from the podium. The chairman later ordered the remarks to be expunged.

Owaisi had justified his slogan 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”.