BJP MP Chhatrapal Singh Gangwar from Uttar Pradesh's Bareilly took his oath as a member of the 18th Lok Sabha and concluded it with the words, "Jai Hindu Rashtra, Jai Bharat". This led to objections raised by opposition leaders, who called it against the Constitution. This comes after a similar controversy involving AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi and Congress MP Rahul Gandhi, who concluded their oaths with chants of "Jai Palestine" and "Jai Hind, Jai Samvidhan" respectively.
Controversy over Concluding Oath with Non-Constitutional Phrases
Recently, BJP MP Chhatrapal Singh Gangwar from Uttar Pradesh's Bareilly courted controversy by concluding his oath as a member of the 18th Lok Sabha with the words, "Jai Hindu Rashtra, Jai Bharat". This triggered objections from opposition leaders, who argued that it was against the Constitution.
Background
The Constitution of India, the supreme law of the land, establishes India as a secular state. The oath of office prescribed by the Constitution for members of Parliament and other high-ranking officials includes the phrase "Jai Hind", which means "Victory to India". However, there is no provision for any other slogan or chant.
Opposition's Objection
Opposition leaders, including members of the Congress and the Left, argued that Gangwar's addition of "Jai Hindu Rashtra" was a violation of the Constitution. They pointed out that the term "Hindu Rashtra" is associated with the Hindutva ideology, which seeks to establish India as a Hindu nation. They argued that this is inconsistent with the country's secular nature.
BJP's Defense
The BJP, however, defended Gangwar's actions. Party spokesperson Sambit Patra said that "Jai Hindu Rashtra" is not a communal slogan but a symbol of pride in India's Hindu heritage. He argued that the term "Hindu Rashtra" does not refer to a theocratic state but to a nation where Hindus have a prominent place.
Past Controversies
Similar controversies have arisen in the past over the use of non-constitutional phrases in the oath of office. In 2019, AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi concluded his oath with the chant "Jai Palestine". This led to criticism from the BJP, which accused Owaisi of being anti-national.
In the same year, Congress MP Rahul Gandhi concluded his oath with the phrase "Jai Hind, Jai Samvidhan". This was seen as a response to Owaisi's chant and was generally supported by the opposition.
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