Bengaluru: While most of the newly-elected legislators took oath in the name of God and the Constitution of India, some of them took oath in the name of voters and local deities.
Before the commencement of the swearing-in ceremony, Pro-tem Speaker R.V. Deshpande asked the newly elected legislators to take oath in the name of God or the Constitution and not in the name of individuals.
However, BJP’s Basanagouda Patil Yatnal took oath in the name of Hindutva and cow, while Congress’s Bavaraju V Sivagangai, representing Channagiri constituency, took oath in the name of KPCC president D.K. Shivkumar.
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah took oath in the name of God. Deputy Chief Minister Shivakumar himself took oath in the name of his religious guru Gangadhar Ajja, whom he considers a god. H.A. Iqbal Hussain of INC (Ramanagaram) took oath in the name of voters.
Bhagirathi Murulya, a first-time BJP member from Sulia, took oath in the name of her local deities and voters. At this stage, angered by the flouting of the rule by the members, Mr Deshpande asked Assembly Secretary MK Vishalakshi to see whether the members took names in the name of God or the Constitution. Afterwards, most members followed the rule.
Former minister Shivanand Patil (Congress) took oath in the name of 12th century social reformer Basaveshwara.
Former chief minister G Janardhana Reddy, who is visiting Vidhana Soudha after a decade, took oath in the name of Anjanadri hill, the birthplace of Lord Hanuman in Koppal district.
Similarly, some MLAs, including G.T. JD(S)’s Deve Gowda paid due respect to Goddess Chamundeshwari and took oath in the name of the deity.
Before the proceedings of the House began, Mr Shivakumar took photographs with BJP leaders Basavaraj Bommai, R Ashok and Araga Gyanendra. He took photographs with Shri Janardhana Reddy at the Assembly Lounge.
The Congress MLAs congratulated both the Chief Minister and the Deputy Chief Minister.
