‘I Will Not Get Into Politics’: Venkaiah Naidu’s Final Remarks in Rajya Sabha

PM Narendra Modi, in a speech, said that the Upper House's productivity increased 70 percent during Naidu's tenure.

Former Vice President and Rajya Sabha Chairman Venkaiah Naidu made his final remarks in the Rajya Sabha. 

(Photo: Screenshot of the Sansad TV)

Vice President and Rajya Sabha Chairman Venkaiah Naidu on Monday, 8 August, made his final remarks in the House, saying, "My only appeal to them, to maintain decency, dignity, and decorum so that the image and respect of the house is maintained."

Addressing his plans after vacating the chairman's seat, he said, "I have been told, either President, dissident or resident, but I am not going to do these three."

"I never aspired to be President, never became a dissident and never confined to residence," Naidu added.

Speaking in the Upper House of Parliament, Naidu said, "When Prime Minister told me during the parliamentary body meeting that I am being selected to be the next Vice President, I was in tears."

"I didn't ask for this, but as a disciplined soldier of the party, I obliged and resigned from the party. There were tears not because I was shirking the responsibility, but because I had to resign from the party that has given me all this," he added.

‘RS Productivity Increased 70%’: PM Modi

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, while giving his farewell speech to the former vice president, said that the Upper House's productivity increased 70 percent during Naidu's tenure; the attendance of MPs also saw a rise.

Modi said, "Today we are all present here to thank Rajya Sabha Chairman and Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu at the conclusion of his tenure. This is a very emotional moment for this House. Several historic moments of the House are associated with your graceful presence."

He added:

"You have said several times, 'I am retired from politics but not tired from public life.' So, your responsibility to lead this House might be ending now but the nation as well as workers of public life – like me – will continue to receive benefits of your experiences."

PM Modi also hailed the former vice president, saying that he "devoted a lot of his time to youth welfare" and praised him for promoting the use of his mother tongue.

He also said, "Vice President Naidu's one-liners are famous, they are wit-liners; his command over languages has been great."

Speaking about his personal relationship with Naidu, Modi said, "It has been my fortune that I have seen you closely in different roles. I also had the fortune to work with you in some of those roles. Be it your ideological commitment as a party worker, your work as an MLA, your activity in the House as an MP."

He continued, "Your leadership as the party chief, your hard work in the Cabinet, or your grace as the VP and RS Chairman – I have seen you working devotedly in all your roles. You never considered any work a burden, you have tried to breathe a new life into every work."

National Democratic Alliance (NDA)'s Jagdeep Dhankhar emerged victorious in the two-headed vice presidential election on Saturday, 6 August, defeating the Opposition candidate Margaret Alva.

Naidu's term ends on 10 August and Dhankhar is set to take oath as the next vice president on 11 August.

‘Few Complaints, but Now Is Not the Time To Complain’: LoP Kharge

After PM Modi, Leader of the Opposition (LoP) Mallikarjun Kharge also congratulated outgoing Chairman Naidu and praised him for his long and vast political career from Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka to the Centre.

He thanked Naidu for allowing and helping to pass the amendment to the Article 371(J) to make special provisions for the Hyderabad-Karnataka region.

Stating that though they have differing ideologies which has resulted in a few complaints with him, "this is not the time to complain because you have performed your responsibility under various difficulties and pressure. I thank you for it," Kharge said.

Meanwhile, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla and Union minister G Kishan Reddy on Monday called on outgoing Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu.

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman met separately with Vice President-elect Jagdeep Dhankhar in Delhi.

Dhankhar also shared pictures on Twitter of his interaction with the finance minister.

'Let Us Not Go There': TMC MP Derek O'Brien

Trinamool Congress MP Derek O' Brien, during his speech for Naidu, hit out at PM Narendra Modi and said that Naidu would have tried hard to get the PM to perhaps answer one question during his tenure "but that did not happen."

He added that on 20 September 2020, when the Rajya Sabha passed the now-repealed farm laws, Vice President Naidu was not on the chair. "Maybe someday you will answer that in your biography," the TMC MP said.

He also highlighted Naidu's "passionate speech" on fuel prices at a time where the BJP was in the Opposition and said, "On 2 September 2013, you made a passionate speech on petrol and diesel in the House... One day perhaps you will tell us in your autobiography why then... Let us not go there."

O'Brien furthered that in 2013, Naidu had made an intervention in connection to phone tapping but there was no discussion on Pegasus in the Rajya Sabha during his tenure as chairperson of the Upper House.

"On 1 March 2013, you had made a 5-6 minute intervention on phone tapping in the House. We tried Pegasus last few years but we did not get a discussion," he said.

Aam Aadmi Party MP Sanjay Singh also spoke in the House and said, "When you got angry or upset, as the opposition, I had to face it... But I am also the parliamentarian who has received the most love and guidance from you."

He added, "If I ever made a mistake over my tenure, I would like to apologise. Sometimes it was for national matters, sometimes it was for the people."