19 new Rajya Sabha members, including Sharad Pawar, take oath in Parliament

Nineteen newly elected and re-elected members of the Rajya Sabha took oath in Parliament on Monday, marking an important moment for the Upper House. Among those sworn in are five members from Maharasthra, including Ramdas Bandu Athawale, Maya Chintaman Ivnate, Sharadchandra Pawar, Ramrao Sakharam Wadkute and Jyoti Nagnath Waghmare. Christopher Manickam, Anbumani Ramadoss, Constandine Ravindran, L K Sudhish, M Thambidurai and Tiruchi Siva are from Tamil Nadu. Five members from West Bengal include Babul Supriyo, Menaka Guruswamy, Rajeev Kumar, Rukmini Mallik and Biswajit Sinha, while three members Santrupt Mishra, Dilip Kumar Ray and Manmohan Samal are from Odisha.

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New MPs Outline Priorities

Speaking after taking the oath, Santrupt Misra the BJD MP expressed his commitment to addressing key issues in Odisha. As a first-time Member of Parliament, he said he would return to the state to consult with party leadership, including Naveen Patnaik, along with MLAs and intellectuals, to shape future programs for both the state and the country. "I have become a Member of Parliament for the first time. From here, I will return to Odisha and, along with the President of the Naveen Patnaik and the leadership of the Biju Janata Dal, we will hold discussions with our MLAs. We will also consult intellectuals from Odisha and then decide how to move forward with our future programs for both the country and the state. There are many issues in the state of Odisha that need to be addressed," said Misra.

Meanwhile, Congress MP Christopher Manickam emphasised his focus on safeguarding the interests of Tamil Nadu. He stated that his priority would be to ensure the state is not overlooked by the central government. "I am a member from Tamil Nadu, and my priority will be to ensure that Tamil Nadu is not sidelined by the Central Government," he said.

Union Minister Congratulates New Members

Union Minister Kiren Rijiju also extended his congratulations to the newly sworn-in members. He highlighted the significance of the occasion, noting that the oath-taking took place even though Parliament was not in session, and expressed hope that the new MPs would contribute meaningfully to the functioning of the Rajya Sabha. "It is a special occasion that the new Rajya Sabha MPs got the opportunity to take oath in the House despite the House not being in session. I congratulate the newly elected MPs and wish them success and good performance in the House. I hope they will help improve the proceedings of the Rajya Sabha by making their valuable contributions," he said.

Rijiju on Women's Reservation Bill

On a special parliament session on Women's Reservation Amendment Bill, Rijiju called for unity across political parties. He said the matter should rise above politics, stressing that women's empowerment is a collective national responsibility. He added that while several opposition parties have supported the initiative, the Congress and some others have yet to fully engage, though he expressed optimism that they would not oppose the measure. "Congress isn't coming forward. Many other opposition parties have also praised the government's efforts. Women's reservation isn't a matter of any one party. It's a matter of the entire political parties and the country. Women's power, women's empowerment. This should be a collective effort. There shouldn't be any politics in this. We spoke to all the parties. Congress and a few other parties didn't come, but they won't portray themselves as anti-women. I hope they will not oppose it," said Rijiju.

The special Parliamentary session to pass the Women's Reservation Amendment Bill will convene from April 16. The bill was passed by Parliament in 2023. The base for delimitation had originally been set at the 2011 census. The Delimitation Act will be amended accordingly. The Government is currently building consensus as this legislation will need 2/3rd majority to pass this legislation, making it crucial to secure support from opposition parties. (ANI)