Sanskrit, Dogri, Odia: Linguistic Diversity At Lok Sabha Oath Ceremony

The Lok Sabha witnessed a display of linguistic diversity on Monday, with the newly-elected MPs taking their oaths in English and Indian languages, including Sanskrit, Hindi, Dogri, Bengali, Assamese, Gujarati and Odia.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi took his oath in Hindi amid slogans of "Jai Shri Ram" from the treasury benches.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari, Women and Child Development Minister Annapurna Devi, Telecom Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia and Urban Development Minister ML Khattar were among those who took oath in Hindi.

Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, the MP from Odisha's Sambalpur, took oath in Odia.

As Pradhan proceeded to take his oath, members of the opposition raised "NEET, NEET" slogans, amid a controversy over alleged irregularities in competitive exams, including the medical entrance exam National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test Undergraduate (NEET-UG).

Suresh Gopi, the first BJP MP to be elected from Kerala, also took oath as a member of the 18th Lok Sabha.

Before taking his oath in Malayalam, the actor-politician invoked the gods, saying "Krishna, Guruvayurappa".

Suresh Gopi is the Minister of State (MoS) for Tourism and Petroleum. He represents Kerala's Thrissur constituency.

Shripad Yesso Naik, the MoS for Power and Renewable Energy, took his oath in Sanskrit. Naik won a sixth term from the North Goa constituency.

First-time MP and former Union minister Sushma Swaraj's daughter Bansuri Swaraj also took oath in Sanskrit, alongside BJP MPs Devusinh Chauhan (Kheda in Gujarat), Hemang Joshi (Vadodara in Gujarat), and Vishweshwar Hegde Kageri (Uttar Kannada in Karnataka) and the Congress' MP from Sonipat in Haryana Satpal Brahamchari.

MoS for Education and Development of North Eastern Region Sukanta Majumdar took his oath in Bengali.

Pune MP Muralidhar Mohol, the MoS for Aviation, took his oath in Marathi.

Union Minister Jitender Singh, the MP from Jammu and Kashmir's Udhampur, took his oath in Dogri.

Union Minister of Port and Shipping Sarbananda Sonowal and Aviation Minister Rammohan Naidu took their oaths in Assamese and Telugu, respectively.

Sarbananda Sonowal is the MP from Assam's Dibrugarh while Naidu is a three-time MP from Andhra Pradesh's Srikakulam constituency. He is also the youngest minister in the third Modi government.

Steel and Heavy Industries Minister HD Kumaraswamy and Consumer Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi took their oaths in Kannada while Coal and Mines Minister G Kishan Reddy took his oath in Telugu.

The Congress' KA Satish Jarikholi (Chikkodi in Karnataka) and BJP MPs Jagadish Shettar (Belgaum in Karnataka) and PC Gaddigoudar (Bagalkot in Karnataka) took their oaths in Kannada.

BJP MPs from Gujarat Bharatbhai Sutariya (Amreli), Mitesh Rameshbhai Patel (Anand) and Mukeshkumar Chandrakant Dalal (Surat) took their oaths in Gujarati.

However, BJP MP from Saran in Bihar Rajiv Pratap Rudy rued that he could not take his oath in Bhojpuri.

"Everyone is taking oath in their own languages and it feels so good ... It would have been even better if we could have taken oath in Bhojpuri," Mr Rudy said, addressing the Chair.

"I will read my oath," he said and proceeded to take his oath in Hindi.

MPs can subscribe to the oath or affirmation in English or any of the 22 languages listed in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution.

Bhojpuri is not listed in the Eighth Schedule.

Earlier in the day, Bhartruhari Mahtab took oath as a member of the new Lower House as well pro-tem speaker at the Rashtrapati Bhavan.

Before the proceedings started, all members stood in silence for a few seconds to mark the solemn occasion of the first sitting of the new House. 

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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कभी भी अस्थिर हो सकती है केंद्र सरकार, कार्यकर्ता पार्टी के जनाधार को युद्धस्तर पर बढ़ाएं : मायावती

बहुजन समाज पार्टी (बसपा) की अध्यक्ष एवं उत्तर प्रदेश की पूर्व मुख्यमंत्री मायावती ने रविवार को कहा कि भारतीय जनता पार्टी (भाजपा) की अगुवाई वाली केंद्र की मौजूदा राष्ट्रीय जनतांत्रिक गठबंधन (राजग) सरकार किसी भी वक्त अस्थिर हो सकती है लिहाजा पार्टी कार्यकर्ता पूरे देश में अपने मिशन से जुड़े लोगों को आगे बढाकर बसपा के जनाधार को युद्धस्तर पर बढ़ाएं.

मायावती ने मीटिंग बुलाई

हाल में संपन्न हुए लोकसभा चुनाव में बसपा की पराजय के बाद मायावती ने पार्टी के प्रदेश कार्यालय में पार्टी की केंद्रीय कार्यकारिणी के सभी पदाधिकारियों, राज्यों के प्रदेश अध्यक्ष और अन्य वरिष्ठ पदाधिकारियों की महत्वपूर्ण बैठक बुलाई.

पार्टी को मजबूत करें

बैठक में मायावती ने कहा, ‘‘वर्तमान में केंद्र की भाजपा एवं उसकी राजग सरकार पूर्ण रूप से स्थिर नहीं है. उसके कभी भी अस्थिर होने की स्थिति बन सकती है. ऐसे में पार्टी के लोगों को पूरे देश में संगठन में मिशनरी लोगों को आगे करके पार्टी के जनाधार को युद्धस्तर पर बढ़ाना है, ताकि हर स्तर पर पार्टी मजबूत हो सके.''

विपक्षी दलों ने जनता को गुमराह किया

मायावती ने कहा कि इस बार लोकसभा चुनाव में विपक्षी दलों ने संविधान बचाने तथा अन्य मुद्दों को लेकर गलत प्रचार करके मतदाताओं को गुमराह किया जिससे बसपा को जबरदस्त नुकसान हुआ है.

जनता को समझना होगा

उन्होंने कहा, ‘‘चुनाव में खासकर गरीब और कमजोर वर्गों के लोग किसी न किसी मुद्दे को लेकर गुमराह हो जाते हैं और अपनी ‘एक मात्र हितैषी' पार्टी बसपा को नुकसान पहुंचाकर उनका ही शोषण करने वाली पार्टी को सत्तासीन करा देते हैं. यह कतई उचित नहीं है. उन्हें बार-बार गुमराह होने की अपनी आदत छोड़नी होगी.''

कांग्रेस ने अंबेडकर को रोका

उत्तर प्रदेश की पूर्व मुख्यमंत्री ने चुनाव प्रचार के दौरान भाजपा राज में संविधान को खतरा बताने वाली कांग्रेस पर निशाना साधते हुए कहा, ‘‘जिस कांग्रेस ने बाबा साहेब भीमराव आंबेडकर को भारतीय संविधान सभा में आने से रोकने के लिये तरह-तरह के हथकंडे अपनाये थे, वह उनके द्वारा बनाये गये संविधान को बचाने की बात कैसे कर सकती है?''

उन्होंने कहा कि कांग्रेस ने आरक्षण तथा अन्य जरूरी मुद्दों पर जब बाबा साहेब की बात नहीं मानी, तब उन्होंने हताश होकर तत्कालीन कांग्रेस सरकार के कानून मंत्री पद से इस्तीफा दे दिया था.

इसके साथ बसपा प्रमुख ने बहुजन समाज के वर्गों को एकजुट होकर अपनी अलग से राजनैतिक पार्टी बनाकर केंद्र और राज्यों की सत्ता भी अपने हाथों में लेने की सलाह दी थी ताकि वे संविधान में दिये गये कानूनी अधिकारों का पूरा लाभ ले सकें.

उन्होंने निकट भविष्य में देश के कुछ राज्यों में होने वाले विधानसभा चुनावों के मद्देनजर पार्टी को हर स्तर पर मजबूत बनाने की हिदायत दी. साथ ही देश के वर्तमान राजनैतिक हालात पर भी चर्चा करते हुये पार्टी के लोगों को सचेत और हमेशा तैयार रहने के लिए भी कहा.

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Odisha Congress Expels 5 Party Leaders Over Ink Attack On State Unit Chief

The Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC), taking a tough stance over the ink attack on president Sarat Pattanayak, on Sunday expelled five party leaders for a period of six years on the charges of grave indiscipline.

The leaders who were expelled from the party include Prakash Mishra, general secretary, OPCC, Shriyasmita Panda, general secretary Odisha Pradesh Mahila Congress, Sandip Routray, secretary, NSUI, Amresh Parida, state secretary, Youth Congress and Aryan Sasmal, state secretary, NSUI.

The OPCC's Disciplinary Action Committee in a letter on Sunday mentioned that the disturbing action of throwing ink at the party's state president on June 21 by some office bearers is a "very undisciplined act" which damaged the image of the party.

"Based on TV footage, for such anti-party and indisciplinary activities, Sarat Pattanayak, President, OPCC have expelled the following congress persons for a period of 6 years," read a letter issued by Santosh Singh Saluja, Chairman of the Disciplinary Action Committee.

The party had initially accused that some miscreants carried out the misdeed at the behest of ruling Bharatiya Janata Party or some other political party.

However, the expulsion order confirmed that the ink attack on Mr Pattanayak was the handiwork of some disgruntled party workers.

It also brought to fore the internal party squabble which is a cause of concern for the Congress.

(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

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4 Arrested Over Torturing 27-Year-Old Tribal Woman In Telangana: Cops

Four persons were arrested for allegedly torturing a 27-year-old Chenchu tribal woman for a week in Nagarkurnool district of Telangana after she did not turn up for work in an agricultural land, police said on Saturday.

The woman was assaulted by the four accused, including her sister and brother-in-law in Molachintalapally village of Kollapur mandal. She was rescued after some villagers took up the matter with the police on Wednesday.

The woman was admitted to a hospital and is undergoing treatment.

In her complaint, the woman said that she was beaten up with sticks and tortured for not turning up for work in the agricultural land owned by one of the accused, a senior police official said.

The victim also had a dispute with her sister over a family issue, they said.

The accused allegedly inflicted burns on her private parts and thighs besides putting chilly powder in her eyes and body, police said.

Four accused persons were arrested on Friday and remanded to judicial custody.

Based on the complaint, a case on charge of sexual assault, attempt to murder, relevant IPC sections and under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, was registered, police said.

State Excise Minister Jupally Krishna Rao on Saturday called on the woman at the hospital and consoled her.

Rao said that the culprits would not be spared.

Announcing Rs two lakh financial assistance, the minister also assured that the government would take care of the education of her children.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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No Leak In CSIR-UGC NET Exam, Postpones Due To Logistic Issues: Minister

The "top leadership" of the National Testing Agency is under the scanner over alleged irregularities in competitive exams NEET and NET, Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan said on Saturday even as he denied any paper leak in the CSIR-UGC NET, which was postponed a day back.

The minister said he is the custodian of students' interests and has to take that into account before taking any step. Amid a raging row over irregularities in the medical entrance exam NEET, Dharmendra Pradhan had said earlier this week that he cannot jeopardise the careers of the lakhs of candidates who cleared the exam rightfully.

The June edition of the Joint Council of Scientific and Industrial Research and UGC-NET was postponed on Friday night. The Joint CSIR-UGC-NET is a test conducted to determine eligibility for junior research fellowship and assistant professor and admission to PhD in science courses.

"There was no leak in CSIR-UGC NET, it was postponed because of logistic issues. There is also a retest of 1,563 NEET candidates tomorrow. For smooth conduct of the exam everywhere, the decision was taken," Dharmendra Pradhan told reporters.

Asked about any inquiry into the NTA's role, Dharmendra Pradhan said, "I have already said there has been an institutional failure. I have taken responsibility. NTA's top leadership is under several types of questions. But I have to safeguard students' interests first. I am a custodian of their interests." Earlier this week, the ministry sought a report from the Bihar Police's Economic Offences Unit, which is investigating the allegations of paper leak in NEET.

"The report has not been received yet... But it is certain that nobody involved or responsible for any irregularity will be spared," he said.

On irregularities in Gujarat's Godhra, the minister said the issue in Godhra was not of a paper leak but of organised cheating and 30 students have been debarred.

"Gujarat case is not of leak...police took preventive action, a few telephone conversations were intercepted. There were attempts to cheat, 30 students who have been found involved have been debarred. They are in addition to 63 students from across the country who were debarred from NEET for using unfair means," he said.

The Centre is under fire over alleged irregularities in competitive exams NEET and NET. While the medical entrance exam question paper was allegedly leaked, a case being investigated by the Bihar Police, UGC-NET was cancelled a day after it was conducted following inputs that the integrity of the exam was compromised. The matter is being probed by the CBI.

The education ministry on Saturday notified a seven-member panel headed by former ISRO chief K Radhakrishnan to ensure transparent, smooth and fair conduct of examinations through the NTA.

On Friday night, the Centre operationalised a stringent law that aims to curb malpractice and irregularities in competitive examinations and entails provisions for a maximum jail term of 10 years and a fine of up to Rs 1 crore for offenders. 

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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"May God...": 2 Arrested Over Burglary At Actor Anupam Kher's Office

The Mumbai police have arrested two persons in connection with a burglary at actor Anupam Kher's office this week, an official said on Saturday.

Majid Sheikh and Daler Bahreem Khan were taken into custody from the Jogeshwari area on Friday night for committing the crime, he said.

Police said the two were serial thieves and would travel to various places in the city by autorickshaws to steal.

The two struck on Wednesday at Kher's office on Vira Desai Road in the Amboli area and took away negatives of a film produced by his company and Rs 4.15 lakh. They also committed theft in Vile Parle that day, the official said.

A part of the property stolen from Kher's office has been recovered from the duo, the official from Amboli police station said.

The 69-year-old actor had narrated the incident on X and Instagram.

"Last night in my Veera Desai Road office two thieves broke two doors and stole the entire safe from the accounts department (which they probably couldn't break) and the negatives of a film produced by our company which was in a box. Our office has filed an FIR," he had written in Hindi, without mentioning the name of the film whose negatives were stolen.

CCTV footage outside the building showed the duo leaving in an auto, Kher said, adding that "may God give them good sense

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NEET-PG Test Scheduled For Tomorrow Postponed As Exam Mess Spirals

The NEET-PG scheduled for tomorrow has been postponed and fresh dates will be announced soon, the Health Ministry said in a statement today.

The government alluding to the huge row over alleged irregularities in NEET-UG and UGC-NET said it decided to "undertake a thorough assessment of the robustness of processes of NEET-PG, conducted by the National Board of Examination for medical students."

"It has accordingly been decided, as a precautionary measure, to postpone the NEET-PG scheduled to be held tomorrow (June 23). Fresh date of this examination will be notified at the earliest," the Health Ministry said, adding it "sincerely regrets the inconvenience caused to students".

The government said the decision was taken in the best interests of students and to maintain the sanctity of examination.

An hour before the announcement of the exam postponement came, the government issued an order that said it has replaced the chief of the National Testing Agency (NTA), which conducts the NEET-UG and UGC-NET.

Subodh Kumar Singh, who was NTA director general, has been replaced by retired Indian Administration Service (IAS) officer Pradeep Singh Kharola. The move is significant as it shows the government is cracking down on NTA officials.

With the parliament session beginning soon, the Centre is bracing to face an onslaught of questions on the controversies surrounding these key exams for entry into medical and higher education teaching positions.

Earlier in the day, the Education Ministry formed a high-level committee of experts to make recommendations on reform in the mechanism of the examination process, improvement in data security protocols, structure and functioning of the NTA.

The UGC-NET was recently cancelled just a day after the exam was conducted. Also, the NTA on Friday announced the postponement of the Joint CSIR-UGC-NET, which was scheduled for June 25-27.

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