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PM Modi lauds ex-PM Manmohan Singh in Rajya Sabha farewell speech: ‘The way he has guided…’
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday spoke in Rajya Sabha during the farewell of retiring members.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi lauded former PM Manmohan Singh's contribution to Parliament and the country while bidding farewell to retiring members in the Rajya Sabha on Thursday.
"I want to remember Dr Manmohan Singh today, his contribution has been immense...For such a long time, the way he has guided this House and country, Dr Manmohan Singh will always be remembered for it...," Modi said.
Retiring Rajya Sabha members will be given a farewell on Thursday at Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar's residence. Members of the Rajya Sabha took part in a group photo at 10am at the Rashtrapati Bhavan. Later at 6.30 pm, they will attend the farewell function for retiring members at the chairman's residence at 6, Maulana Azad Road.
Modi said he remembers in the old Parliament building, during the trust vote against the government, "it was known that the treasury bench would win but Dr Manmohan Singh came on his wheelchair and cast his vote. This an example of a member being alert of his duties".
"Dr Manmohan Singh ji came to Parliament in a wheelchair. How conscious he is of his responsibilities, not only this, I was watching, whenever committee elections were held, he came to vote, the question is not to whom he came to give strength, I believe, to give strength to democracy," Modi said.
In August 2023, Manmohan Singh had arrived in Rajya Sabha on a wheelchair to cast his vote on the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (Amendment) Bill, 2023.
Extending his best wishes to all the retiring members of the Rajya Sabha, Modi said he hopes they will scale new heights after getting educated in this "eternal university".
“I hope the experience of retiring MPs will benefit the country and inspire new generations,” Modi added.
Parliament will continue the discussion on the Union Interim Budget 2024-25 on Thursday, and the Interim Budget of the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir.
Marking the significance of the present moment, the prime minister said the members that are leaving today had the opportunity to be in both old and the new building and they are leaving bearing witness to the Amrit Kaal and 75 years of the Constitution.
Recalling the Covid pandemic, when uncertainties loomed large, Modi lauded the commitment of the members for not letting any hindrance come in the way of the functioning of the House. He noted the huge risks undertaken by the MPs to fulfil their responsibilities. Modi also expressed deep grief for those members who lost their lives to Covid-19 and said the House accepted it with grace and continued to move forward.
Recalling an incident of black clothes being worn by the opposition, Modi noted that the country is scaling new highs of prosperity and that incident may be seen as an attempt to ward off an evil eye by a ‘kala tika’ for the journey of the nation’s progress.
The ongoing Budget Sessions of Parliament has been extended a day to February 10 to bring in a white paper on the state of the economy before and after 2014, when the BJP came to power after defeating the Congress-led UPA.
During his reply in both Houses of Parliament to the Motion of Thanks on President's address, Modi slammed the UPA government's alleged mishandling of the economy and its corruption and policy paralysis.
As per the List of Business in the Upper House for the day, Union minister Bupender Yadav will move a motion for election to the Central Advisory Committee.
