Andalib Akhter / New Delhi
Rajya Sabha today bids farewell to Vice President M Hamid Ansari as member after members laud him for his wisdom and impartiality. Prime Minister Narendra Modi lauded his valuable contributions in conducting the proceedings of the Upper House during his 10-year-long tenure.
Speaking on the occasion of demitting Office of Chairman, Mr Modi called him a career diplomat and said his diplomatic experience has benefited the members a lot. The Prime Minister also said that his contributions in different spheres of life will benefit the country in the days to come.
Former Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh described Mr Ansari as friend, philosopher and guide and said his statesmanship guided the country for a long time. Deputy Chairman P J Kurien described Mr Ansari as a man par with excellence and all have great admiration.
Hamid Ansari’s farewell speech in Rajya Sabha
He also praised the Chairman for his reforms in the procedures of the Rajya Sabha saying they had great impact.
In his tribute Sitaram Yechury said : “I only wish that you continue to share your wisdom with all of us and the country, after you leave this august House and this august Office. And, in your private life, you will be able to make these contributions, I think, in as effective a way, as you have been making while you are in Chair”. He asli hailed role Ansari in launching Rajya Sabha TV.
In his farewell remarks Hamid Ansari, said that the House is a creation of the Constitution and reflective of the wisdom and foresight of the founding fathers, who wished it to portray India’s diversity and to be calibrated restraint on hasty legislation.
It has upheld the democracy’s sacred creed that discussion, instead of being a stumbling in the way of action, is in fact an indispensable preliminary to wise action. In reply to farewell felicitations by members, Mr Ansari said deviations from this golden rule contribute neither to diligent policy making nor to the claim to be mature democracy based on Rule of Law.
Quoting his predecessor Dr Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, Mr Ansari said a democracy is distinguished by the protection it gives to minorities. A democracy is likely to degenerate into a tyranny if it does not allow the opposition groups to criticise fairly, freely and frankly the policies of the government.
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