Om Birla Changes His Stand on Chanting of Religious Slogans in Lok Sabha

New Delhi, June 20: Newly-elected Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on Thursday changed his stand on chanting of religious slogans in Parliament. Om Birla said there is no restriction on chanting 'Vande Mataram' or 'Bharat Mata Ki Jai' in Lok Sabha. The Speaker, in an interview on Wednesday, said that he wouldn't allow chanting of religious slogans or bullying of MPs in the lower house of Parliament.

Asked whether it was going to be tough for him to run the Lok Sabha amid religious chants, Om Birla said: "There is no challenge. We will run the House by keeping all party leaders together… Who said you cannot say 'Vande Mataram' and 'Bharat Mata ki Jai'?” Religious slogans such as 'Jai Shri Ram' and 'Bharat Mata Ki Jai' were raised during the oath-taking ceremony of newly-elected Muslim lawmakers.

Congress President Rahul Gandhi, UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi and TMC MPs were also welcomed to take the oath amid slogans of 'Bharat Mata Ki Jai' and 'Jai Shri Ram'. All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) chief Asaduddin Owaisi's swearing-in got all the attention as he responded to the shouts of 'Jai Shri Ram' by Bharatiya Janata Party MPs with 'Jai Bhim', 'Nara-e-takbeer Allah Hu Akbar' and 'Jai Hind'.

Samajwadi Party MP Shafiqur Rahman Barq, who was also booed by religious chants, responded with 'Constitution Zindabad' and refused to say 'Vande Mataram'. Besides, slogans of 'Mandir wahin banayenge' (temple will be built there) were raised in the Lok Sabha after Sakshi Maharaj, the BJP MP who won from Unnao in Uttar Pradesh, took oath as a member of the House. He concluded his oath with ‘Jai Shri Ram’.

The slogan 'Mandir wahin banayenge' refers to the construction of Ram temple in Ayodhya where Babri Masjid was once stood.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jun 20, 2019 07:44 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).