Vice-President M. Venkaiah Naidu said here on Saturday that there was a need for an enlightened debate on all larger issues in public life, and stressed that dissent should be expressed in a democratic and non-violent manner.
“Constitutional methods and violence do not go together,” he said at a function to release the book Renaissance Man: The Many Facets of Arun Jaitley on the late leader’s birth anniversary.
The comments, though not explicitly stated, came in the context of the protests by various groups against the passage of the Citizenship (Amendment) Act.
‘Enlightened debate’
Paying rich tributes to Jaitley, Mr. Naidu said, “Whenever there is a need for enlightened debate, Jaitley will be missed.”
The book, put together by Mr. Naidu’s daughter Deepa and son Harshvardhan, was released in the presence of Sangeeta Jaitley, wife of Jaitley.
He recalled his own long association with the late leader, adding that he was yet to come to terms with his passing.
“He was a man of impeccable integrity and a thorough gentleman,” Mr. Naidu said adding that he was staunchly opposed to corruption.
Referring to Jaitley’s deft handling of the economy at a critical time, Mr. Naidu said his persuasive skills and the spirit of camaraderie were in full display to evolve a consensus during the tough negotiations with States for the Goods and Services Tax (GST) regime.
He referred to various measures taken by Jaitley as Union Finance Minister to ensure that the banking sector did not slip into a deeper morass due to non-performing assets.
The Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code introduced during his tenure proved to be a revolutionary step, Mr. Naidu added.
