Srinagar: Newly elected MLAs of Jammu and Kashmir, including 29 from BJP, were administered oath on Monday, marking the resumption of the Assembly functions after a decade-long hiatus. Protem Speaker Mubarak Gul officiated the swearing-in ceremony for the newly elected legislators.
The 90-member Legislative Assembly features three women MLAs, with two representing the National Conference and one from the BJP. The women who took oath include MLA Shaghun Parihar from Kishtwar, MLA Sakina Masood Itoo from DH Pora and MLA Shamima Firdous from Habba Kadal.
The youngest member is 29-year-old Shaghun Parihar and 80-year-old Abdul Rahim Rather, senior NC leader representing Charar Sharif constituency, is the eldest member. Parihar had secured 29,053 votes and defeated NC's Sajad Kichloo by 521 votes.
Notably, Shaghun's father Ajit Parihar and his uncle Anil Parihar were killed by terrorists in 2018. Their killings forced Parihar to enter politics. She possesses an MTech degree from Punjab Technical University.
While talking to ETV Bharat, before taking oath, she said, "Today is a very important day for me and I will try my best to live up to the expectations of the common people".
She said that there are a lot of challenges in terms of construction and development in the Kishtwar and these will be among her priorities.
Talking about the role of a strong opposition, she said, "People have put a huge responsibility on all of us, which we will try to fulfill completely. The government is led NC but BJP will play the role of a strong opposition. Where the government acts in favour of Jammu and Kashmir, we will certainly praise it and where the government acts against the expectations of the people, we will definitely act as influential voice and criticise."
"Ensuring protection of Kishtwar people is among our priorities, while the focus will be on construction and development in the area because the previous government had ignored Kishtwar district," she added.
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