Srinagar: After a six-year pause, legislative activities resumed in Jammu and Kashmir on Monday, with 86 newly-elected lawmakers taking their oaths in a variety of regional languages. Pro-tem speaker Mubarak Gul oversaw the ceremony, which included 49 first-time members.
The event highlighted the region’s linguistic diversity, with legislators taking their oaths in eight languages, including Kashmiri, Dogri, Pahari, Gojjri, Sheena, Sanskrit, English, and Urdu.
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah led the proceedings, drawing attention by taking his oath in Kashmiri, a language he has often been criticized for not speaking fluently. He was followed by other ministers and senior National Conference (NC) member Abdul Rahim Rather.
Two MLAs, Muzaffar Iqbal Khan of Thanamandi and Dr Narinder Singh of RS Pura, were absent. Gul, representing Eidgah, had already taken his oath before Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha.
Several legislators chose Kashmiri for their oaths, including Tanvir Sadiq of Zadibal, Farooq Shah of Tangmarg, Qaiser Jamsheed Lone of Lolab, Irfan Hafiz Lone of Wagoora-Kreeri, and Nizamuddin Bhat of Bandipora.
In a celebration of cultural heritage, Sajad Shafi (Uri) and Javiad Mirchal (Karnah) took their oaths in Pahari, while Khurshied Ahmed of Gulabgarh chose Gojjri. Nazir Gurezi, from the Gurez constituency, opted for Sheena, a language spoken in Gilgit-Baltistan and Gurez.
Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee president Tariq Hamid Karra and Peoples Conference leader Sajad Gani Lone opted for English. Most BJP legislators took their oaths in Dogri, while Sunil Sharma, Shagun Parihar (Kishtwar), and RS Pathania chose Sanskrit.
Adding to the traditional atmosphere, all BJP legislators, including Shagun Parihar, were seen wearing Dogra turbans.
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