Oath Taking in Rajsthan Assembly: Yunus Khan, an ex-BJP man, took it in Sanskrit Language   

Jaipur: The inaugural session of the recently constituted 16th Assembly of Rajasthan commenced on December 20. This two-day session was convened for the induction ceremony of the newly elected Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs). The Pro-tem Speaker, Kalicharan Saraf, presided over the swearing-in ceremony, with the first oath administered to Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma.

Subsequently, both Deputy Chief Ministers, Diya Kumari and Premchand Bairwa, took their respective oaths. Amidst the oath-taking proceedings, several MLAs expressed a desire to take their oaths in the Rajasthani language, but this request was denied by the chair. Notably, Congress MLAs Zuber Khan and independent MLA Yunus Khan made history by opting to take their oaths in Sanskrit during the Assembly session.

 While several MLAs chose Sanskrit for their oath, it is considered a groundbreaking moment, possibly marking the first instance where MLAs from a minority community took their oaths in Sanskrit. Notably, Yunus Khan, a trusted associate of the former Chief Minister of Rajasthan, Vasundhara Raje, and a former minister in her cabinet, chose to part ways with the BJP after being overlooked for a ticket in the previous Assembly election. Despite the setback, Khan boldly contested as an independent candidate in the Deedwana Assembly constituency. In a remarkable turn of events, he secured victory in the election, surpassing his closest Congress competitor and relegating the BJP nominee to third place.

Approximately twelve MLAs, including Yunus Khan and Zuber Khan, chose to take their oaths in Sanskrit, showcasing a unique linguistic choice within the Assembly.