TEARS AND PRAISES: RS BIDS FAREWELL TO AZAD
NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday heaped praise on Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad by describing him as a leader who cared not just for his party, but about the country and its Parliament, and welled up while describing shared experiences with Azad, whose tenure in the Upper House ends on February 15.
“I am concerned that whoever is appointed to his position may not be able to match up to him,” Modi said, pointing to Azad, who was sitting across the hall in the slot occupied by the Opposition floor leader in the Rajya Sabha.
“Posts come, power comes but how to handle these one must learn from Ghulam Nabi Azad,” the PM added. He saluted in his direction, and said:“on the basis of events and experiences, I respect him as a friend.” Modi also complimented Azad for being a stellar Parliamentarian whose word he respected, and on a lighter note, for his interest in gardening.
PM recalled how, as the then chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir, Azad called Modi as the then chief minister of Gujarat, after several tourists from Modi’s state were attacked in a terror ambush in the Valley in May 2006. “He had not just called to inform me... his tears were flowing uncontrolled. Pranab Mukherjee was then the defence minister, and I called him to ask if the defence planes could be provided for ferrying the bodies… At night Ghulam Nabi ii called me from the airport. He sounded as concerned as people are when talking about their own family members,” the PM said, pausing as he was overcome with emotion and had to take a few sips of water before continuing.
When Azad later referred to the same incident in his speech, he got emotional as well.
“When I went to the airport. These young kids who had lost family members clung to my legs, weeping. I could not control myself and wept aloud,” Azad said, his voice quavering.
In his farewell speech, Azad -he has spent 28 years of his 40 years as a parliamentarian in the Rajya Sabha -- said he was a proud Indian, and that when he reads about circumstances in Pakistan, he feels proud to be a Hindustani Muslim.
“If any Muslim should feel proud in the world, it should be the Indian Muslim. Over the years we have seen how Muslim countries from Afghanistan to Iraq are getting destroyed. There are no Hindus or Christians there, they are fighting amongst themselves…” Azad said.
He also recalled how he had the opportunity of learning from not just Congress leaders but also imbibed lessons in politics from BJP stalwarts. “I learnt how to be the leader of the opposition from Atalji...how to break a deadlock, how to run the House,” he said. Modi went on to say that his doors are open for all four retiring member. “Your experience will be very valuable... I will keep expecting this and I will not allow you to retire.”