HT Bureau
GUWAHATI, Feb 22: Gulab Chand Kataria was sworn in as the 31st Governor of Assam at a swearing-in-ceremony held at Srimanta Sankardeva Kalakshetra in Guwahati on Wednesday.
Chief Justice Gauhati High Court Justice Sandeep Mehta administered the oath of office to the new Governor.
The Governor on the occasion said, “It is an honour to take oath of office of the Governor of a beautiful State like Assam at a place named after the greatest Vaishnavite Saint Srimanta Sankardev who is greatly responsible for the socio-cultural and spiritual opulence of Assam.”
“I will certainly carry out my responsibilities in accordance with the Constitution with utmost honesty and sincerity. I hope the people of the State will render their maximum support to the office of the Governor to aid the all-around growth of the state,” he added.
Chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma attended the swearing-in ceremony and congratulated Kataria on assuming the highest constitutional post of Assam and wished that under his leadership the state government would accelerate the growth momentum from all sections of the people.
First Lady of Assam Anita Kataria, Speaker of Assam Legislative Assembly Biswajit Daimary, Union MoS for Social Justice and Empowerment Ramdas Athawale, and other ministers of the state government were present at the swearing in ceremony.
It may be noted that Gulab Chand Kataria hails from Udaipur, Rajasthan. He was the former home minister of Rajasthan and a leader of opposition in the Rajasthan Legislative Assembly prior to his appointment as the Governor.
Some of the notable achievements credited to him include him being the home minister in the government of Rajasthan from May 31, 2004 to December 8, 2008 and again from 2015 to 2018. He was also a senior leader of BJP from Rajasthan and was also a member of the central working committee of the party. He hails from Udaipur and has represented it in the 9th Lok Sabha, from 1989-1991. He was also the leader of opposition in the Rajasthan Legislative Assembly from August 24, 2002 to December 2003, again from February 21, 2013 to December 10, 2013, and from January 17, 2019 to 2023 till his appointment as the Governor.
Kataria also served as the education minister of the state from 1993 to 1998. He also served as public works department minister from December 8, 2003 to May 30, 2004.
Before taking charge, the Governor visited Kamakhya Temple and offered puja to goddess Kamakhya.
