Naidu takes oath as 15th vice-prez
PM Modi praises new V-P
M. Venkaiah Naidu after being sworn in as India’s 15th vice-president at Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi on Friday. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is on his left. Mr Naidu also took over as Chairman of the Rajya Sabha and emphasised that there should be no disruptions in the House, and that all parties should work together without treating each other as “enemies”.
Former Union minister M. Venkaiah Naidu on Friday took oath as the 15th vice-president of the country at a ceremony in the Durbar Hall of Rashtrapati Bhavan, which was attended by Prime Miniser Narendra Modi along with political leaders cutting across party lines.
Hours later, Mr Naidu chaired the Rajya Sabha proceedings on the last day of the Monsoon Session of Parliament and in his familiar style, told the members that while the Opposition “must have its say” but “at the end of the day, the democracy says that the government must have its way” because it has the mandate. He also said that he is now “an allparty man.”
The vice-president of the country is the ex-officio chairman of the Upper House of Parliament.
While Mr Naidu is the 15th vice-president, he is the 13th person to hold the constitutional post. His predecessor Hamid Ansari and the first vice president S. Radhakrishnan had held the post for two consecutive terms.
Welcoming Mr Naidu, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said it is a tribute to the Indian democracy that people rise from humble and rural backgrounds to the highest
All constitutional positions today are occupied by poor or sons of farmers or commoners Narendra
Modi, Prime Minister
constitutional positions. Mr Modi said Mr Naidu is the first vice-president to be born in independent India and besides having long experience, is wellversed with the intricacies of parliamentary procedures and the functioning of the House.
“All constitutional positions today are occupied by poor or sons of farmers or commoners,” Mr Modi as he recalled his long association with the new vice-president. Mr Modi said Mr Naidu has always been sensitive to the needs of rural areas, poor and farmers and his inputs on these issues have been of immense value. Mr Modi said the day holds a historic value as on this day, Khudiram Bose, a 18-year old young revolutionary of the freedom struggle, was hanged by the British.