AAP MLA Saurabh Bharadwaj takes oath in Lord Hanuman's name

After recently announcing monthly programme of reciting 'Sundara Kanda' in his constituency, AAP's Saurabh Bharadwaj on Monday took oath as an MLA in the name of Lord Hanuman.

The Greater Kailash MLA took oath in the name of "ishwar swaroop Bajrang Bali" (God-incarnate Hanuman), much to the chant of 'Jai Bajrang Bali' by AAP lawmakers.

However, some comments were made by Opposition BJP MLAs to which Pro-team speaker Shoib Iqbal said they could also do so.

Later, Bharadwaj tweeted, "BJP legislators have objection that oath of office is taken in the name of Hanuman. Is BJP MLA Anil Bajpai anti-Hindu? Why does BJP object to taking Lord Hanuman's name? Does the top leadership also think the same? Why are they silent?"

While swearing-in of ministers on February 16, Gopal Rai had taken oath in the name of "martyrs of Independence struggle" and Rajendra Pal Gautam had taken oath in the name of Lord Buddha.

A computer-engineer turned politician, Bharadwaj had also demanded building a huge statue of Hanuman in Ayodhya where a Ram temple is being built.

His assertions on Hanuman comes as Delhi Chief Minister and AAP Convenor Arvind Kejriwal wear his devotion to Lord Hanuman on his sleeves. As he faced accusation from BJP that he was anti-Hindu during recently concluded Delhi Assembly elections, Kejriwal publicly proclaimed his faith in Hanuman and went on to recite 'Hanuman Chalisa' on a news channel.

Last week, Bharadwaj had also announced that he will organise recitation of 'Sundara Kanda', the only chapter in Ramayana in which the hero is Hanuman and not Lord Ram.

In the Assembly, Kejriwal and other MLAs also took oath. Besides, veteran leader Ram Nivas Goel was once again elected as the Speaker of the Assembly.