NEW DELHI: The Rajya Sabha today bid farewell to its retiring members Karan Singh , Janardhan Dwivedi and Pervez Hashmi. Soon after the laying of papers , Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu said three members of the House Dr Karan Singh, Janardhan Dwivedi and Parvez Hashmi are retiring on 23rd January.
”I bid them farewell. The retiring members have made a significant contribution to the working of the Rajya Sabha. During their tenure, they have lent dignity and gance to the House.”
Bidding adieu to Dr Karan Singh, Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad said he was proud to have worked with him in the Council of States.
”We are proud to work with a person who has had the opportunity to meet Father of the Nation Mahatma Gandhi and all the Prime Ministers of the Republic since Independence.
He also has had the privilege to work with many PMs in post independent India. ”He is also the only person in post Independent India who became a head of state at the age of 17,”Mr Azad said. Mr Azad said that Dr Singh had been a Minister in the Central Governemt and had held high posts including India’s Ambassador to the United States.
”He has also been a chancellor of several universities,”Mr Azad said. Mr Azad also lauded the work done by Mr Janardhan Dwivedi as part of his association with social movements during his student days.
Referring to Mr Parvez Hashmi, Mr Azad said that as a Rajya Sabha MP, he had raised in the House matters of concern for the people of Delhi.
Speaking on behalf of the governemt, Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said that in Dr Karan Singh, he saw an image of a ‘philosopher king’ Alluding to Mr Janardhan Dwivedi, Mr Prasad said that it was his love for Hindi that brought them close.
”His various interventions in the House have reflected his love for Hindi,”Mr Prasad said. In his farewell speech, Dr Karan Singh said,”I came to Parliament 50 years ago, as an idealistic young man of 36 years.
I now bid farewell, as an idealistic old man. I am confident that India will overcome all the challenges before it” Saying that having been associated with all the PMs of the country had been a great experience for him.
”Despite the difference in their working styles, I can say that all the PMs of the country have made a contribution to the country and worked realizing Nehru’s vision of a ‘New India’ ,”Dr Singh said.
Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu said that Dr Karan Singh may have retired from the Upper house but not from public life. In his farewell speech, Mr Janardhan Dwivedi said he had received a lot of affection from all people during his tenure in the Rajya Sabha.
He said that during his 57 years in public life, he had never compromised with his views Recalling that “I was born in a house made of mud. There was no school near my house,”Mr Dwivedi said that without experiencing the pain of ordinary life, one cannot be a good leader.” (AGENCIES)
Follow our WhatsApp channel
