The Rajya Sabha on Thursday heaped lavish praise on Chairman Hamid Ansari, who is all set to relinquish office after a decade, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other senior members lauding him for upholding constitutional norms.
Commenting on the tenure of the outgoing VP, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said:
You (VP Ansari) have been a career diplomat, I got to know from you what what it means to be one.
PM Modi said Ansari did his best to uphold the Constitution as Chairman of the Upper House. Modi said he had benefited from Ansari's insights on diplomatic issues on several occasions.
VP Hamid Ansari ji leaves with great memories, his contribution has been important. Your diplomatic insights were invaluable, especially when I discussed them with you before and after my bilateral visits.Narendra Modi
The Prime Minister noted that the Ansari family boasts an illustrious history of over 100 years in public life.
Conveying his best wishes to Ansari and wishing him a long life, Modi said the outgoing chairman has also kept himself physically fit.
Finance Minister Arun Jaitley also praised Ansari and his role as the Chairman of the House. Calling him a “very distinguished person,” Jaitley said: “It’s a very nostalgic occasion. You had, before becoming a chairperson of the House as the Vice President of India, experience in various fields of public life. You had been a very distinguished diplomat, you had chaired important commissions, committees, universities”.
The Finance Minister further added that even though dealing with the political fraternity was a different experience altogether, Ansari performed his new role most skillfully.
Jaitley said the House witnessed both disruptions as well as high quality debates during Ansari’s tenure.
The job of the chairperson of the House was "a very challenging and thankless job," he said, adding that while the political character of the House has changed, "nothing remains indefinitely held up" and a consensus is eventually reached.
Leader of Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad praised Ansari for the way he conducted the proceedings of the House.
Recalling his long association with Ansari, Azad said the Chairman was given several honorary degrees by different countries, but he had never used them.
SP member Ram Gopal Yadav said Ansari conducted the House without any discrimination and never allowed any legislation to be passed amid the din. He hoped the next Chairman too would continue the tradition.
CPI(M) leader Sitaram Yechury also hoped that in future, legislations would not be allowed to be passed amid din. He also appreciated Ansari's initiative to start a Rajya Sabha TV channel.
Video Editor: Ashutosh Bhardwaj
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