Which MPs Are Taking Oaths in Mother Tongues Other Than Nepali?

March 23, Kathmandu: Deepakkumar Sah (49), elected from Sunsari constituency number 4, is taking his parliamentary oath in the Maithili language.

The oath-taking ceremony for the members of the House of Representatives elected on February 21 will take place on March 26.

Explaining the reason for taking his oath in his mother tongue, Sah states, “I wanted to remain rooted. Protecting language helps in preserving culture. My mother tongue will now be officially recorded in the parliament.”

During his school days, Sah used to write poetry, including in Maithili. He reveals that he has been a long-time advocate for protecting the mother tongue.

He holds a master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering and Natural Resource Development from Pulchowk Engineering Campus and expresses his belief in pluralism.

Nepal’s Constitution embraces multilingualism, multi-religiosity, and multiculturalism as the pride and identity of the state. It emphasizes building an inclusive society that respects all languages, religions, and cultural identities. Sah considers this diversity the soul and identity of Nepalese society and says he plans to take further initiatives to strengthen it through policy measures.

There are other MPs like Sah who are taking their oaths in their respective mother tongues. Mohammad Ishtiaq Rai, elected from Banke constituency number 2, will take his oath in the Awadhi language.

The Oath Act 2079 includes provisions regarding the language of the oath, allowing parliamentarians to take their oaths in their mother tongues.

Rai has been elected as MP three times and has previously taken the oath in Awadhi as well.

“Every time I have been elected as MP, I have taken the oath in Awadhi. This time, I will do the same,” he says.

Rai was elected to the Constituent Assembly in 2064 BS and to the House of Representatives in 2074 BS. He had contested elections in 2070 and 2079 BS but was defeated.

Rai was just 28 years old when he first became an MP and was appointed Minister for Labour and Transport at age 31.

He has been actively involved in the preservation of language and culture since childhood and considers this a significant reason for the voters’ trust in him.

“People feel affinity with their spoken language. Taking the oath in the mother tongue is a way to bring that closeness to the parliament,” Rai says. “It affirms identity, instills pride within me, and creates a sense of belonging among voters.”

In Rai’s view, using the mother tongue in the parliament is an appropriate means to represent the constituency that elected him.

The Oath Act 2079 explicitly states in Article 5, “Oaths or affirmations must be made in the Nepali language for official purposes.” However, it also opens the way for MPs to take oaths in their mother tongues.

Meanwhile, proportional representation MP Khushbu Oli from the Rastriya Prajatantra Party plans to take her oath in Sanskrit.

When taking oaths in the mother tongue, MPs are required to submit a translated version of the oath, certified by themselves, to the oath-taking officials before the ceremony.

Individuals holding public office who take the oath in Nepali must submit two copies of the Nepali oath, and those who take it in their mother tongue must submit two copies of both the mother tongue oath and the Nepali oath to the officials.

According to Deputy Secretary Pradeep Guragain from the Federal Parliament Secretariat, MPs must declare the language they intend to use before the oath ceremony by submitting a form. MPs who wish to take oaths in their mother tongue have informed the secretariat via email or in person.

Newly elected MPs Ujjwal Kumar Jha and Matrika Prasad Yadav will take their oaths in Maithili. The 33-year-old Ujjwal was elected from Mahottari-3, and the 67-year-old Matrika from Dhanusha-1. A dispute regarding the rejection of the Rastriya Swatantra Party candidates in this area is under court consideration.

Kriparam Rana is preparing to take his oath in the Rana Tharu language. He is a proportional representation MP from the CPN UML party.

MPs Geeta Chaudhary and Pramila Kumari Gachhadar have also registered their intention to take the oath in Tharu. Geeta represents the Rastriya Swatantra Party, and Pramila represents the Nepali Congress, both elected through proportional representation.

Similarly, MPs Biraj Bhakta Shrestha and Kulbhakta Shakya will take their oaths in the Newar language. Kulbhakta was elected through the UML party’s proportional representation system, while Rastriya Swatantra Party leader Biraj Bhakta was directly elected from Kathmandu-8. Biraj, who was a member of the dissolved House of Representatives, previously took the oath in Nepali.

As mentioned, Rastriya Prajatantra Party’s proportional representation MP Khushbu Oli will be taking her oath in Sanskrit.

So far, MPs have registered their intention to take oaths in nine different languages, with 24 of them opting to do so in their mother tongues.

According to MP Deepak Sah, taking the oath in one’s mother tongue is not only about language use; it symbolizes that Nepal is a multilingual nation, that marginalized communities have reached the parliament, and that federalism and inclusive representation are reflected in this symbolic act.

The History of Taking Oaths in Mother Tongues

The practice of taking oaths in mother tongues began during the Panchayat regime, which had a policy of one language and one dress. Language rights activist Malla K. Sundar recalls that in 1986 (2042 BS), Padyamratna Tuladhar took the oath in his mother tongue at the National Panchayat.

After the establishment of the republic, the number of MPs taking oaths in mother tongues other than Nepali increased. In the 2008 Constituent Assembly, 264 members took their oaths in their respective mother tongues.

In 1991 (2048 BS), Gajendranarayan Singh, founder and chairman of Nepal Sadbhavana Party elected from Saptari-2, took the oath in Hindi.

Malla K. Sundar, who was a member of the Interim Legislature in 2006 (2063 BS), recalls that at that time, including himself, 58 members took oaths in various mother tongues.

The 2008 Constituent Assembly saw even more MPs taking oaths in their mother tongues, including languages like Maithili, Bhojpuri, Magar, Gurung, Western Tharu, Hindi, Newar, Limbu, Tamang, Rai, Eastern Tharu, Urdu, Rajbanshi, Thakali, Sherpa, Rana Tharu, Dhimal, Kumal, Western Darchula languages, Awadhi, Madwari, Jirel, Chepang, Banthar, Majhi, Sunuwar, and Baram.

Following the 2008 Constituent Assembly elections, the oath taken by Vice President Parmananda Jha in Hindi became a subject of legal dispute.

According to the Secretariat of Parliament, 35 MPs took oaths in languages other than Nepali in 2013 (2070 BS), 46 did so in 2017 (2074 BS), and 28 MPs took oaths in mother tongues in 2023 (2079 BS).

Language rights activist Sundar explains, “The linguistic diversity of Nepal should be represented within the structure of the parliament, and the oath is a message that embodies this representation.”