Bonhomie in RS as 17 members are given farewell

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 Urban Development Minister M Venkaiah Naidu (BJP), 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.
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.