In an emphatic demonstration of British multiculturalism, a Muslim politician elected to Scottish parliament delivered his oath of allegiance in Urdu while wearing a kilt.
.@HumzaYousaf just gave his swearing in oath in Urdu. Look how great it sounds: pic.twitter.com/mvPqRucslx
— Siraj Datoo (@dats) May 12, 2016
Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) Humza Yousaf, who won a seat from the city of Glasgow, spoke first in English and then in the language linked to his Pakistani heritage, swearing “that I will be faithful and bear true allegiance to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth” and concluding with “so help me God.”
Yousaf was not the only politician to take the oath in another language: Other members of Scottish parliament spoke in local tongues such as Doric, Gaelic and Scots.
On Twitter, Yousaf laughed off the predictable backlash to his oath from those fearful of the role of Islam in British society.
Yousaf proudly paid homage to his roots with his outfit as well as his language, pairing a traditional Scottish kilt with a sherwani jacket.
Yousaf marked the occasion with family, who attended the ceremony.
Think Islamaphobia just made up? This comes after I simply put up a pic of my family. Luckily more good ppl than bad pic.twitter.com/pme0qNtDIg
— Humza Yousaf (@HumzaYousaf) May 13, 2016
Thanks @ScotParl sending over pics of swearing-in ceremony v memorable day, though @KeithBrownSNP has had enough ? pic.twitter.com/sxuRFRzbtV
— Humza Yousaf (@HumzaYousaf) May 14, 2016
His party championed Scotland’s unsuccessful bid for independence in 2014, framing its nationalism not on ethnic identity but on the desire for a distinct, diverse nation to have greater control over its affairs. The SNP now dominates politics in Edinburgh and has a sizable bloc of seats in Westminster as well.
