The Madheshi Commission has sought clarification from the Federal Parliament Secretariat after some lawmakers took the oath of office and secrecy in the 'Madheshi' language on Thursday.
Some newly-elected House of Representatives (HoR) members including Janamat Party Chairman CK Raut took their oath of office in the 'Madheshi' language during the swearing-in ceremony on Thursday. It also led to demonstrations against Raut in different places of Madhesh on Thursday itself.
The Federal Parliament Secretariat had made arrangements for lawmakers to take the oath in their mother tongue. Twenty-five lawmakers took the oath in 14 different languages while the rest took the oath in Nepali.
The Madheshi Commission has said that lawmakers taking the oath in the 'Madheshi' language at a formal function is a serious matter, pointing that no such language is listed in the Madheshi Commission.
Dr Vijay Kumat Datta, chairman of the Commission, told Setopati that they have written to the Federal Parliament Secretariat as they received a complaint about some lawmakers having taken their oath in the 'Madheshi' language.
“We have written to the Federal Parliament Secretariat to clarify on what grounds the Madheshi language was given recognition for taking the oath,” Datta said. “We read the report of the Language Commission. Which is the Madheshi language? There is no Madheshi language in any province.”
He said that Madheshi communities spoke Avadhi, Bhojpuri, Maithili and other languages in different regions of Madhesh.
“We have asked the Federal Parliament Secretariat to clarify what this Madheshi language is,” Datta said.
Writing to the Federal Parliament Secretariat, Deputy Secretary of the Commission Sabita Dangol has also stated that the 'Madheshi' language is not listed in the Commission.
