(Image source from: Indian-Origin Daniel Mookhey)

An Indian-Origin MP in New South Wales, Daniel Mookhey, has created history by swearing-in on Hindu religious text, the Bhagavad Gita for the first time in Australia. He was born in Blacktown to the parents emigrated from Punjab, a state in India.

He expressed his happiness over his oath taking ceremony and praised the Australian tolerance towards all sections and the openness prevailing in the state. He said his time in the NSW Upper House would be productive by aiming for much more modern state and modern city in which everyone is able to move around and spend time at work and with their family without any frustrations.

He was chosen by the Labor party to fill the casual vacancy created by Steve Whan for the later’s unsuccessful tilt at a Lower House seat in the March election. Mookhey holds three university degrees and currently works as a consultant to unions, charities and community groups.

Indian-origin people in other parts of the world have been taking their allegiance on Gita for a long time. Recently, Mr Vivek Murthy, who became US Surgeon General, the highest ranking Indian Origin person in President Obama Administration, also sworn-in on the holy Bhagavad Gita.

-Kannamsai