BJP MLA takes oath in the name of Vaishnodevi, creates controversy

Even the oath taking ceremony of the newly-elected legislators could not be spared of controversy as members from opposition benches objected to BJP legislator Ravinder Raina swearing-in the name of Mata Vaishno Devi while taking oath as member of the State Legislative Assembly.

As BJP MLA from Nowshera, said “I do swear in the name of Mata Vaishnodevi”, member on the opposition benches objected to his taking oath not in the prescribed format. They drew attention of the protem Speaker Mohammad Shafi Uri, a senior National Conference leader, that it was not provided to swear in the name of Vaishnodevi. The member can swear in the name of Ishwar,” said M Y Tarigami of CPI (M).

Raina tried to convince member that he being worshipper of Ma Vaishnodevi consider her as his Ishwar, but the Protem Speaker went by the objection from opposition benches making the member to swear by the name of “Ishwar”.

During the conversation, the people in the visitors gallery clapped on stand of Raina, raising objection from opposition National Conference benches.

” Yeah kisi party ka majma nahin ho Rana hai” (This is not the meeting of a political party), he said, adding that the member shall devise his supporters to take the proceedings of the house seriously.

All the BJP legislators except Deputy Chief Minister Nirmal Singh cane to the house wearing Dogra turbans

Before coming to the house, they first garlanded the statue of late Maharaja Hari Singh, the last Dogra ruler of Jammu Kashmir, and the Prem Nath Dogra as a matter of respect.

Chief Minister Mufti Sayeed was the first to take oath. Omar Abdullah also took oath among others.

Source:: Indian Express