Before Govt White Paper, PM’s praise for Manmohan: ‘A shining example’

“I would especially like to remember Dr Manmohan Singh ji,” Modi said in the House, recalling an incident last year when the former PM, who has been an MP since 1991, came to vote in Rajya Sabha on a wheelchair.

“Everyone knew that the Treasury benches would win… but Dr Manmohan Singhji came on a wheelchair and voted. This is the duty of a member of this House and he is a shining example. Even for election of some committee he came in a wheelchair.” “It does not matter whom he had come to support, but my belief is that he came to support democracy,” Modi said, adding, “I pray for his long life and wish he would continue to guide us.”

The farewell, however, witnessed some acrimony too.

Former PM H D Devegowda took on Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge for his remark that the JD(S) leader had changed his political course in the fag end of his life. “I want to save my party when some of the Congressmen want to destroy it… I have taken the decision to extend my support to BJP. That is the only reason,” Devegowda said.

While acknowledging Kharge’s honesty, Devegowda blamed “some Congress leaders” for the fall of the Congress-JD(S) government in 2019, which was led by his son H D Kumaraswamy. He claimed that despite his suggestion then that Kharge should become the chief minister of Karnataka and not his son, the Congress high command insisted Kumaraswamy be the chief minister. “…within 13 months, who removed him (Kumaraswamy)? Not Kharge but it was the Congress leaders,” he said.

Devegowda further said,”Mr Kharge, do you want to become the Prime Minister? Will Congress tolerate (it)? Please tell me, I know (the) Congress.”

Sixty-eight MPs are retiring between February and May, including Ministers Dharmendra Pradhan, Narayan Rane, Ashwini Vaishnaw, Mansukh Mandaviya, Bhupender Yadav, Parshottam Rupala, Rajeev Chandrasekhar, V Muraleedharan and L Murugan.

In his speech, Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar said the wisdom shared by the retiring MPs would be missed and their departure would leave a void.

He also paid tributes to five female retirees — Jaya Bachchan, Vandana Chavan, Kanta Kardam, Sonal Mansingh and Amee Yajnik. All five were on the panel of vice chairpersons.

Leader of the House and Union Minister Piyush Goyal said the Opposition needs to win the hearts of people with their work, increase its numbers and become strong, “but that cannot be the responsibility of the ruling party”.

Congress MPs Syed Nasir Hussain, Rajmani Patel, Kumar Ketkar, BJP’s Anil Jain, Rakesh Sinha, GVL Narasimha Rao, Samir Oraon, also gave speeches, among others. Ketkar, a former journalist, said he had never seen such a polarised House.

“This polarisation is full of hate,” he said.