Rajya Sabha Chairman Hamid Ansari, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Leader of the Opposition Arun Jaitely and Deputy Chairman K. Rahman Khan on Tuesday led the House in bidding farewell to 13 members whose term ends on April 2.
All the leaders recalled the contribution of the outgoing members. Mr. Ansari said the House would miss the members who were not returning. Expressing his heart-felt appreciation for their contribution, he wished them long life and good health.
Dr. Singh appreciated the contribution of retiring members and recalled that he had been a member of the House for nearly 19 years. “My experience is that this House has some unique characteristics which enrich public life and reflect plurality and diversity of the country,'' he added.
Mr. Jaitley said, “New members enter the House with a certain awe and all go back wiser, considering the environment of the House.” He said the members had excellent inter-personal relations.
Union Ministers A. K. Antony, Anand Sharma and M. S. Gill are among the members completing their tenure. While Mr. Antony has been re-elected from Kerala, Congress has re-nominated Mr. Gill from Punjab. Among others who are retiring are Silvius Condpan and Syeda Anwara Taimur (Assam), A. Vijayaraghavan and Abdul Wahab Peevee (Kerala), Khekiho Zhimomi (Nagaland), Matilal Sarkar (Tripura) and Ashwani Kumar, Dharam Pal Sabharwal, Sarinder Singh Bajwa and Naresh Gujral (Punjab).
