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KATHMANDU, July 26 (Xinhua) -- Nepali vice president Saturday defended his action of taking the oath of office and secrecy on Wednesday in Hindi by saying that his party prepared to establish Hindi as one of Nepal's official languages, media here reported.
According to a leading website eKantipur.com report, the newly elected Vice President Paramananda Jha claimed that he took the oath of office and secrecy in Hindi as the language has become indispensable in Nepal.
Jha said that his party, the Madhesi People's Rights Forum (MPRF), has been preparing to establish Hindi as one of the languages in the soon-to-be drafted constitution.
Jha also clarified that he took the oath in Hindi to respect the aspirations of southern Nepal's Terai region residents who played a crucial role in taking him to such a high position of vice president.
The first vice president of Nepal said that language was not an issue in a republic Nepal and went on to claim that only a few elements who wanted to fulfill their vested interests took out the protests.
Jha said that he will comply with the Supreme Court verdict and that he has not even thought of rectifying his error as he has not made any mistake by using Hindi.
Various organizations and student unions affiliated to parties have been carrying out massive protests against the vice president for using Hindi in the sworn-in ceremony.
A civil writ has been filed at the Supreme Court on Friday demanding nullification of the oath taken by the vice president.
On Wednesday, newly elected President Ram Baran Yadav had administered the oath in the Nepali language while the vice president, who was dressed in what seemed like an Indian lawmaker's outfit, translated the oath which was written in Nepali and took it in Hindi.
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2008-07/26/content_8776876.htm