After addressing the Congress's first family - Nehru and the Gandhis - consecutively in his Parliament speeches, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had commendable words for his predecessor, Manmohan Singh, who headed the Congress-led government for two successive terms between 2004 and 2014.
"I wish to remember Dr Manmohan Singh today; his contribution in the House, with his invaluable thoughts, both as a leader and in the Opposition, 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 during his speech in the Rajya Sabha.
Modi recalled an incident in the old Parliament building during a trust vote against the government, saying, "It was known that the treasury bench would win, but Dr Manmohan Singh came on his wheelchair and cast his vote. This is an example of a member being alert to his duties," Modi said, bidding farewell to the 68 members scheduled to retire between February and May as per their tenures. The elections to the vacant seats have also been announced for the end of this month.
The retiring Rajya Sabha members were also given a farewell on Thursday at Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar's residence.
In a sarcastic jibe at the Congress, the PM thanked Leader of the Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge for coming out with a "black paper" against his government and referred to it as "kaala teeka" (to ward off the evil eye) amidst the good work being done by his government.
The PM referred to the black robes worn by Opposition MPs in the House as a mark of protest and said, "We also saw a fashion parade in the Rajya Sabha when some members came in black clothes.
He said the Members who are leaving for a more public platform will hugely benefit from the experience in the Rajya Sabha. "This is a diverse university of six years, shaped by experiences. Anyone who goes out from here goes enriched and strengthens the work of nation-building," he said.
Marking the significance of the present moment, he said that the members who are leaving today had the opportunity to be in both the old and the new building, and they are leaving bearing witness to the Amrit Kaal and 75 years of the Constitution.