“I feel proud
to be Hindustani
Muslim”; Azad

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NEW DELHI: Congress MP Ghulam Nabi Azad during his retirement speech in Rajya Sabha on Tuesday summed up his more than four-decade-old political career in few Urdu couplets and a brief speech.
“I would like to depart with only a few words using a few couplets. A ten-hour speech can be summed up in merely two couplets by a poet. And I would like to take that approach. To express my thoughts on my entire political career would be a tough task to perform,” Azad said in Rajya Sabha. Going back to the early days of partition, the senior Congress leader said, “I am among those fortunate people who never went to Pakistan. When I read about circumstances in Pakistan, I feel proud to be a Hindustani Muslim.”

NEW DELHI: Leader of Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad gives a farewell speech on his retirement as Rajya Sabha member during the Budget Session of Parliament, in New Delhi on Tuesday. (ANI Photo)


“If any Muslim should feel proud in the world, it should be the Indian Muslim. Over the years, we have seen how Muslims countries from Afghanistan Iraq getting destroyed. There are no Hindus or Christians there — they are fighting amongst themselves,” he added.
Prior to this, Rajya Sabha witnessed emotional scenes as Prime Minister Narendra Modi recalled the contribution of Ghulam Nabi Azad to the country, the House and also his party.
An emotional Prime Minister Modi bid adieu to Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad, who is retiring from the House and recalled his long association with the senior leader.
Lauding the senior Congress leader’s contribution to the causes dear to him, the Prime Minister said, “The person who will replace Ghulam Nabi ji (as Leader of Opposition) will have difficulty matching his work because he was not only concerned about his party but also about the country and the House.”
Almost teary-eyed, the Prime Minister recalled an incident where Azad’s personal intervention led to the return of survivors and corpses of Gujarat residents who had faced a terrorist attack in Jammu and Kashmir.

Teary-eyed PM Modi

Meanwhile, Rajya Sabha witnessed emotional scenes on Tuesday as Prime Minister Narendra Modi recalled the contribution of Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad to the country, the House and also his party.

NEW DELHI: India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi speaks during the farewell to retiring Rajya Sabha MPs during the Budget Session of Parliament in New Delhi on Tuesday. (ANI Photo/ RSTV Grab)


An emotional Prime Minister Modi bid adieu to Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad, who is retiring from the House and recalled his long association with the senior leader. Lauding the senior Congress leader’s contribution to the causes dear to him, the Prime Minister said, “The person who will replace Ghulam Nabi ji (as Leader of Opposition) will have difficulty matching his work because he was not only concerned about his party but also about the country and the House.”
Almost teary-eyed, the Prime Minister recalled an incident where Azad’s personal intervention led to the return of survivors and corpses of Gujarat residents who had faced a terrorist attack in Jammu and Kashmir.
“I will never forget Shri Azad’s and Shri Pranab Mukherjee’s efforts when people from Gujarat were stuck in Kashmir due to a terror attack. Ghulam Nabi Ji was constantly following up, he sounded as concerned as if those stuck were his own family members,” the Prime Minister said, while members of the House listened intently.
Recalling another incident of Azad’s concern for the nation during the times of the pandemic, the Prime Minister said, “During this pandemic, Ghulam Nabi ji called and asked me to hold a meeting of all party leaders. I was pleased to receive a nice suggestion that I followed.”
“Posts come, high offices come, power comes and how to handle these, one must learn from Ghulam Nabi Azad Ji. I would consider him a true friend,” he added.
Meanwhile, Union Minister and RPI leader Ramdas Athawale also lauded the contribution of the retiring Congress leader.
“You should return to the House. If Congress doesn’t bring you back, then, we are ready to do it. This House needs you,” said Ramdas Athawale.
Later today, Union Home Minister Amit Shah will apprise the Rajya Sabha about the ongoing rescue operations in Uttarakhand in the wake of glacier burst.
During ‘Zero Hour’ on the Uttarakhand glacier burst, Rajya Sabah Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu said that he will ask the Home Minister to apprise the House of the situation. (ANI)