3 new members take oath in Rajya Sabha

New Delhi: Senior Congress leader Vayalar Ravi was among three newly elected members of Rajya Sabha who took oath on Thursday.

Ravi, IUML state secretary P V Abdul Wahab and CPI(M)'s K K Ragesh, who were elected to the Upper House recently, took oath/affirmation in English.

Members greeted them with thumping of desks and Chairman Hamid Ansari warmly shook hands welcoming them. After signing the register, they greeted leaders of various political parties.

Later the House mourned the death of Lee Kuan Yew, former Prime Minister and founding father of Singapore, on March 23 as well as five former members of Rajya Sabha.

"Lee was a great statesman and a visionary who had dedicated himself to the transformation of the city of Singapore into a global trade and financial centre. His death is an irreversible loss to Singapore, its people and also to the world at large," Ansari said.

Manubhai Patel, who represented Gujarat in the Upper House from April 1978 to April 1984, died on March 27 at the age of 94 years.

Ghufran Azam passed away on April 2 at the age of 71 years, he said adding he represented Madhya Pradesh for two terms from June 1989 to April 1994 and April 1994 to April 2000.

Lalit Kishore Chaturvedi, who was member of Rajya Sabha from July 2004 to July 2010 from Rajasthan, passed away on April 5 at the age of 83 years.

Jerlie E Tariang, who was in Upper House from Meghalaya from April 1984 to April 1990, died on April 9 at the age of 92 years.