Opposition parties on Monday created a ruckus during the first session of the 17th Lok Sabha while Bharatiya Janata Party MP from Bhopal Pragya Singh Thakur took oath. Lawmakers opposed to the prefix “Sadhvi” and the addition of her guru’s name along with hers while taking oath as a newly-elected member of the Parliament, IANS reported.
Thakur addressed herself as “Sadhvi Pragya Singh Poorna Chetnanand Avdheshanand Giri” while being sworn in. The Chair also intervened during the oath and informed Thakur that she can take the oath only in the name of god or the Constitution. However, Thakur claimed that it is her full name and that she had mentioned it in the form submitted to the House.
The Opposition leaders opposed to the prefix, saying that Thakur was not using her real name that had been recorded in the documents that she had submitted. This resulted in a brief disruption during the swearing-in process.
Following the uproar, Pro tem Speaker Vijendra Kumar asked Thakur to use the name that she had mentioned in her election victory certificate. Members from the Opposition also opposed to her invocation of her guru, Poorna Chetnanand Avdheshanand Giri, in her oath.
Kumar also assured protesting lawmakers that he would go through the records and eliminate anything unofficial. He also appealed for order in the House in order to carry on the swearing-in process, NDTV reported. Thakur reportedly took three attempts to swear-in as a legislator.
After being interrupted twice, Thakur went on to take the oath in Sanskrit and shouted the slogan “Bharat Mata ki Jai” at the end, according to IANS.
Kumar will oversee the oath-taking of the new lawmakers in the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha until Tuesday. His role as the pro tem speaker will be discontinued once the new Speaker of the 17th Lok Sabha is elected on Wednesday.
The Monsoon Session of Parliament began on Monday. The first Parliament session of the 17th Lok Sabha will end on July 26. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, as well as other Union ministers and newly elected representatives, took oath as MPs in the Lok Sabha.
“The role of an Opposition and an active Opposition is important in a Parliamentary democracy,” Modi said ahead of the session. “The Opposition need not bother about their numbers. Every word the Opposition speaks is of value to us.”
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