Srinagar: In a notable and resonant moment in Parliament on Monday, Aga Syed Ruhullah Mehdi, the newly elected Member of Parliament from the Srinagar Lok Sabha constituency, took his oath as Lok Sabha member in Kashmiri, underscoring the richness of Jammu and Kashmir's linguistic tapestry.
Representing the Jammu and Kashmir National Conference, Mehdi secured his seat in the 2024 Lok Sabha election by defeating Waheed Para of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Mohammad Ashraf Mir of Jammu and Kashmir Apni Party (JKAP).
His choice to take the oath in his native tongue was a significant gesture that highlighted the cultural and linguistic diversity of India. Mehdi's words, "Be, Aga Syed Ruhullah Mehdi, yus Lok Sabahai hyund member muntakhab karne aas naas, tchus khudawand tala sindis naavas peith halaf tulaan...," reverberated through Parliament, bringing a touch of Kashmir's unique cultural heritage to the national stage.
Joining him in this display of linguistic pride was Mian Altaf Ahmad, the newly elected Member of Parliament from the Anantnag-Rajouri constituency, who chose to take his oath in Urdu, an official language of Jammu and Kashmir. The oath-taking ceremony saw a mix of languages, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh opting for Hindi. Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan recited his oath in Sanskrit, an ancient language of India.
Mehdi's decision to speak in Kashmiri resonated strongly on social media, with many people from Kashmir expressing their admiration and pride. His gesture was seen as an affirmation of cultural identity during the inaugural session of the 18th Lok Sabha.
In response to Mehdi's post, Adil Kashmiri, an X user, remarked, "It's wonderful that you took the oath in your mother tongue. Congratulations!"
Another user, Saqib Fayaz, expressed, "We are hopeful for strong leadership and representation for our valley."
Meanwhile, Abdul Rashid Sheikh, popularly known as Engineer Rashid, the newly elected Member of Parliament from the Baramulla constituency, did not take his oath on Monday. Rashid, leader of the Awami Ittehad Party, is currently lodged in Delhi’s Tihar Jail on charges related to a terror-funding case. Despite his imprisonment, Rashid won the Baramulla seat by a significant margin, defeating National Conference vice president Omar Abdullah and Peoples Conference chief Sajad Lone.
Omar, on his part, took to Twitter to share his mixed emotions. "It’s tough watching my party colleagues taking oaths in the Lok Sabha today. Such mixed emotions, I’m proud of their victory and the opportunity they’ve got to serve the people of J&K. At the same time, I’m gutted I won’t be representing the people of North Kashmir. That said, life goes on," Omar tweeted.
It’s tough watching my party colleagues taking oath in the Lok Sabha today. Such mixed emotions, I’m proud of their victory & the opportunity they’ve got to serve the people of J&K. At the same time I’m gutted I won’t be representing the people of North Kashmir. That said, life…
— Omar Abdullah (@OmarAbdullah) June 24, 2024
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