17 Rajya Sabha members including Mani Shankar Aiyar, Javed Akhtar retire

New Delhi

In a departure from sparring and clashes, political parties in Rajya Sabha today presented a picture of bonhomie as the House bade farewell to 17 members who spoke about their experiences and reinforced the message of strength of India’s deep-rooted democracy despite divergent views on issues.

Chairman Hamid Ansari led the House of Elders in appreciating the rich and significant contribution of the retiring members, saying their unique association will be cherised.

He was followed by Deputy Chairman P J Kurien, Leader of the House Arun Jaitley and Leader of the Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad in paying accolades, irrespective of party lines, to their fellow members whose membership is coming to an end during the recess of Budget session from March 17 to April 25.

Subsequently, the retiring members narrated their experiences, with some of them becoming emotional.

Among those retiring are Balchand Mungekar (Nom), Ashwani Kumar (Cong), M S Gill (Cong), Mani Shankar Aiyar (Cong), Avinash Rai Khanna (BJP), Javed Akhtar (Nom), Jaishree (Nom), K Balagopalan (CPI-M) and T N Seema (CPI-M).

Leading the way, Ansari wished “happiness and all success” in the future endeavours of five nominated members and 12 members from Assam, Himachal Pradesh, Karnataka, Tripura and Punjab.

He said the House will miss those who are not re-elected and the experience at Rajya Sabha has been “intimately personal and intensely political.”

Kurien said, “change is unchangeable thing” but added that since “every member is this House is a politician”, no one was retiring as no politician retires.

Terming it an occasion to celebrate, Kurien said the members’ “contribution in the annals of Rajya Sabha history will be painted in golden words”. He wished luck to members.

Jaitley, the Finance Minister, said membership of the House is an honour as the members are part of ‘history in the making’.

Members of this House bring wisdom with them and are not carried away with impulses, he said, adding the Upper House has high quality of debate and “despite political differences, the atmosphere has always been of mutual respect.”

Azad equated the clashes and sparring among members in the House to ‘saas-bahu’ (mother-in-law and daughter-in-law) fights.

“Often people ask me that ‘in the House you (ruling and opposition party members) fight but outside you are seen hobnobbing’. I reply that you should not take our fights seriously. It is like ‘Saas-Bahu’ who fight but live in the same House…,” Azad said drawing laughter from members.

Thanking the retiring members, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Venkaiah Naidu said, “I can only say they have retired but not tired. They will be active in local sabhas. I hope respective parties will renominate them and hope friends who have retired will come back.”

Javed Akhtar, noted film personality-turned-MP, made an eloquent speech, saying that “adjournaments” and “polarisation” will not take the country forward as he pleaded with both the government and Opposition to work together without thinking about the next elections.

Hailing the essence of India’s deep-rooted democracy, he said it must be preserved at any cost while learning from the fate of those countries where one religion was given importance, an apparent reference to Pakistan.

Underlining that there cannot be democracy without secularism, Akhtar said protecting secularism is not about protecting one community or the other. “We need to protect secularism because there cannot be democracy without it. I believe this is our greatest achievement.”

On religious freedom, he said, “These days, they call fringe, it is growing day by day. This is not required.”

Akhtar, who was nominated during the UPA tenure, said there are capable leaders in the Modi government who can do good work but those making extremist comments, including some ministers, need to be reined in.

He also slammed, in a veiled manner, AIMIM leader Asaddudin Owaisi for saying he will not chant ‘Bharat mata ki jai’ because the Constitution does not ask him to do so.

Taking objection to Owaisi’s remark, Akhtar said, “the Constitution even does not ask him to wear sherwani (dress) and topi (cap)… I don’t care to know whether saying ‘Bharat mata ki jai’ is my duty or not, it is my right.”

He then chanted ‘Bharat mata ki jai’ a number of times.

At the same time, he condemned those right-wing extremists also who say Muslims should go to Pakistan.

Congress member Bhalchandra Mungekar, while hailing the vibrant democracy of India, compared it to Pakistan where people regret that they lacked such democratic vigour as they did not have a leader like BR Ambedkar.

M S Gill said though he had served as Chief Election Commissioner as well as Secretary in Government of India, membership of Rajya Sabha has been the highest achievement for him.

He said the youth watches the proceedings of Parliament and if MPs did not perform, the message would not be good.

Congress MP Mani Shankar Aiyar said he was legally nominated to the House which startled many who tried hard to find lacunae in his induction.

Aiyar said during his first visit to Parliament as a student in 1960 he had witnessed communist leader SA Dange lashing out at PM for dismissing EMS Namboodiripad government in Kerala, which he faced with silence and dignity.

“Likewise, 36-year-old Atal Behari Vajpayee could call on PM in India in the middle of India-China war demanding debate… PM granted it and on November 8, 1962 listened to young Vajpayee,” he said.

He regretted that such trdition was vanishing and that past six years had been disillusioning.

Seeking restoration of such traditions, Aiyar said the talent in Rajya Sabha matches anywhere in the world.

Aiyar said when he was bestowed with outstanding MP distinction in Lok Sabha despite being known for “notoreity”, he promised himself to abstain from sloganeering and going into the well.

In lighter vein, he said he rarely made a speech when Chair was not obliged to expunge at least half-a-dozen words and added that he admired Chairman for his ability to cool down tempers running high in the House.

MP from Karnataka and Punjab B Jayshree and Balwinder Singh said it was rich experience for them.

Avinash Rai Khanna (BJP) apologised to members for any hurt he may have caused to them knowingly or unknowingly.

Sharing the experiences she gained as a member, Bimla Kashyap Sood (BJP) suggested her colleagues to be present in the House all the time.

She also urged members to “rise above party lines and caste-based politics” and support the Prime Minister to ensure the country progresses.

K Balagopalan (CPM) recalled important passage of important bills including Lokpal and impeachement of former judget of Calcutta High Court Soumitra Sen among others

The CPM leader also expressed concern over money bill route taken to pass certain important policies. “If money bill route comes often, existence of council of states will be in question. Both Opposition and government should discuss this issue,” he added.

He also shared that the issues related to rubber farmers was raised many times in the House but remained unsolved.

T N Seema (CPM) suggested the Upper House should be treated more importantly and called for more women participation in both Houses for which she sought passage of the bill for 50 per cent reservation.

PTI