MP Assembly passes censure motion against Owaisi

All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) leader Asaduddin Owaisi on Friday faced more heat for his remark that he won’t chant ‘Bharat Mata Ki Jai’ with the Madhya Pradesh Assembly unanimously passing a censure motion against him, while a PIL seeking legal action was filed before the Bombay high court.

Congress member Jitu Patwari brought the censure motion, slamming Owaisi, during the Zero Hour of the Budget session of the MP Assembly in Bhopal. State Legislative Affairs Minister and BJP leader Narottam Mishra seconded Patwari’s censure motion and condemned Owaisi, saying that such display of anti-national mentality is being noticed for the past one-and-a-half years. He said India has loved and respected both “Ram and Rahim” equally, and slammed people sympathising with divisive forces.

Panchayat Minister Gopal Bhargava also rose to join in condemning Owaisi and tried to take a dig at the Congress.

But Speaker Sitasaran Sharma, sensing a tussle between the treasury and opposition Congress, got up and announced the passing of censure motion unanimously against the AIMIM leader amid chants of ‘Bharat Mata Ki Jai’ by members, including Congress’ Patwari and Hardeep Singh Dang.

The PIL filed by Pune-based Hemant Patil urged the Bombay high court to take legal action against both Owaisi and AIMIM MLA Warris Pathan for refusing to chant ‘Bharat Mata Ki Jai’.