Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader and former chairperson of Delhi Women’s Commission, Swati Maliwal took oath as Member of Parliament in Rajya Sabha on Wednesday ahead of the the start of the interim budget session. However, she was asked by Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar to take the oath twice, as she read the wrong oath the first time, and then included a slogan in the oath at the end.
Three new members were sworn in as Rajya Sabha MPs on Wednesday, Satnam Singh Sandhu, Narain Dass Gupta, and Swati Maliwal. Satnam Singh Sandhu, who has been nominated to the upper house, was the first to take the oath, after which Narain Dass Gupta, who has been re-elected by the AAP, took the oath. Swati Maliwal was the third Rajya Sabha MP to take the oath on Wednesday.
However, while taking the oath, she read the oath for nominated members instead of elected members. She read out, “Mei Swati Maliwal jo Rajya Sabha ke sadashya naam nirbachit huyin hoon”, which means means “Me Swati Maliwal who has been nominated as a member of Rajya Sabha”. After ending reading out the oath, she chanted the slogan ‘Inquilab Zindabad’.
This was immediately flagged by the Parliament officials, and one of the officers told her that she will have to take the oath again due to the violation. Minister Piyush Goyal also objected to the same. Swati Maliwal offered “I will say it again”. But Rajya Sabha chairperson Jagdeep Dhankar sent the AAP leader back to her seat, saying that he would call her back.
He said that this is a solemn occasion, and there are earlier instances of diversions made in oaths in India and outside, and corrections had to be made in such incidents. The VP said that she is a young member of the house and she will have to bear with it. He asked her to take her seat, and when she did this, he called her name afresh, asking her to take the oath again.
When she approached the well to take the oath again, an official reminded her that she has to read only what is written in the paper, making it clear that any slogans are not allowed in the oath. This time Swati Maliwal read out the correct oath and didn’t chant any slogan.
The VP announced that the first oath would not go into the records.
It is notable that Satnam Singh Sandhu, the founder-chancellor of Chandigarh University, was nominated to the Rajya Sabha by President Droupadi Murmu on Tuesday. After he took the oath, Dhankar noted that he is the first member to take oath in the new parliament building. He said, “You have made history. You are the first person to take the oath in the new Parliament building.”