The House paid homage to former Chief Minister Narayan Dutt Tiwari with leaders from the treasury and opposition benches reminiscing about his qualities and citing anecdotes on the first day of the winter session of Vidhan Sabha.
Leader of the house, Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat said that Tiwari’s demise was the end of an era.
Stating that during Tiwari’s tenure as Chief Minister, the state had received special central package, he said that Tiwari made special contribution in the state’s development.
He recalled that Tiwari used to provide guidance rising above partisan politics and also direct officials to take swift action.
Leader of opposition, Indira Hridayesh recalled that while studying in Allahabad University, he used to tutor children of a pahadi domestic helper in Anand Bhawan for 2-3 annas to meet his expenses. Later throughout his political life he never spoke bitter words. He was also the first to get hot-mix roads constructed in Lucknow.
“We got to learn so much from him. He used to respect the opposition to such an extent that at times we also complained to him about it,” she said.
Parliamentary Affairs and Finance minister Prakash Pant recalled, “When he was the CM he once asked him if I did not intend to contest the 2007 elections. He asked me so stating that I was not coming to him with issues from my constituency. He never got angry with anyone and always followed protocol. We felt he was the state’s chief minister not of a party.”
Referring to Tiwari as an institution, cabinet minister Yashpal Arya said that he had learnt the basics of politics from Tiwari. “During 2002 when I was not given a berth in the cabinet and there was some disappointment among party workers regarding this, he said that he had brought a letter from the party high command to make me the assembly speaker. When I said that I had no experience of being the speaker, he said that had he made me a cabinet minister that too would have been a first as I had no experience of ministership. I couldn’t argue with him when he said this.”
Pradesh Congress Committee head and Chakrata MLA Pritam Singh, MLA Munna Singh Chauhan and other members of the Assembly also expressed their views in homage to Tiwari on the occasion.