Constitution gives wide choice of languages in oath-taking
New Delhi: Legislators of the Maharashtra
Navnirman Sena may have targeted a Samajwadi member for not
taking oath in Marathi, but elected representatives have been
given a wide choice of languages spoken across the country for
oath-taking by the Constitution.
Members of the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha can take oath
of affirmation in as many as 22 languages, Parliament sources
said, adding that members can take oath in all languages,
included in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution, apart
from Hindi, the national language, and English.
Eighth Schedule gives official status to 22 languages.
Until the Abu Asim Azmi incident in Maharashtra, there
has generally been no pandemonium or uproar during oath taking
in any of the state assemblies or Parliament, the sources
said.
"Perhaps there was never ever any incident in which the
language used by members in oath taking was made an issue,"
they said.
"There is some sanctity attached to oath-taking," the
sources said adding that there are provisions in the
Constitution on oath-taking in Parliament and state
assemblies.
Four MNS members in Maharashtra Assembly assaulted SP MLA
Abu Asim Azmi yesterday for taking oath in Hindi instead of
Marathi and were suspended for four years, which is seen as an
unprecedented development.