The Rajya Sabha on Thursday bid a warm farewell to Chairman and Vice -President Hamid Ansari who said a “democracy is likely to degenerate into a tyranny if it does not allow the Opposition groups to criticise fairly, freely and frankly the policies of the Government.” In his speech, Ansari also said a democracy is “distinguished by the protection it gives to minorities. But at the same time the minorities have also their responsibilities.”
Addressing the Elders on the last day of his ten-year tenure, Ansari said the Rajya Sabha upholds democracy’s creed that debate and discussion were not a stumbling block, but an indispensable preliminary to wise action.
Quoting from former Vice President S Radhakrishnan’s speech, Ansari said “a democracy is likely to degenerate into a tyranny if it does not allow the Opposition groups to criticise fairly, freely and frankly the policies of the Government.”
While the members “have every right to criticise, their right of criticism should not degenerate into willful hampering and obstruction of the work of Parliament. All groups, therefore, have their rights and their responsibilities,” he quoted from Radhakrishnan’s speech.
On the relevance of the Upper House, Ansari said it is a creation of the Constitution and reflective of the wisdom and foresight of the “founding fathers” who wished it to portray India’s diversity and to be a calibrated restraint on “hasty legislation.”
Paying tributes to Ansari, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the Chairman always went by the rule book and Constitution while conducting the business of the house. He also quipped that Ansari will continue to serve the nation as he was physically fit. In fact, several other Elders also praised 80-year-old Ansari for his fitness and wished him a healthy life.
Highlighting the fact that Ansari’s family had a 100-year-old history of public service, Modi said the Chairman’s earlier career as a diplomat helped him in running the house with deftness. The Prime Minister also noted that Ansari always gave useful insights whenever Modi returned from a foreign visit.
The Prime Minister also said since Ansari will now be free from the confines of Constitution and rule book, he will be able to follow his ideology and work accordingly. Modi also mentioned about Ansari’s stint at the National Minorities Commission and Vice-Chancellor of Aligarh Muslim University(AMU) besides a long stint as a diplomat in West Asian region.
Several members including Ramgopal Yadav and others noted that Ansari ensured that no bills were passed in the din and giving a chance to as many members to air their views during Zero Hour and hold the Government accountable during the Question Hour. CPI(M) leader Sitaram Yechury also appreciated Ansari for not allowing any bill to be passed in din and hoped that the practice will be continued.
leader of House and Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said it was a very nostalgic occasion for both Ansari as well members. He said Ansari’s tenure might have seen disturbances but it also saw a high quality of debates on many occasion.
Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, during whose tenure Ansari became the Rajya Sabha Chairman, hailed his contribution and said the country keeps on progressing despite challenges largely because of people like him. leader of Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad praised the retiring Chairman for the way he conducted the proceedings of the House.
Naresh Agrawal(SP) said people are known by the Chair they hold, but Ansari had shown that the Chair is known by the person holding it. Anu Agha(nominated), Dilip Tirkey(BJD), K Rehman Khan(Congress), K Parasaran (Nominated)and Roopa Ganguly were among others who paid tributes to Ansari.