New Delhi ∙ ‘Azad ji, even if I leave the church, my doors will remain open for you. I will not allow you to be weakened ‘- Ghulam Nabi Azad clapped his hands when Prime Minister Narendra Modi wiped his horse eyes.
Venue: Rajya Sabha. Context: Farewell to retiring members of the Church, including Senior Congress Leader Ghulam Nabi Azad.
After Modi ended his speech with tears in his eyes, Ghulam Nabi Azad also made the church emotional with his kind words and memories of good moments in the church.
Modi’s praise and tears were discussed in political circles amid reports that the Congress was removing Azad, who led 23 leaders (G-23) who demanded a change of leadership in the Congress.
Speaking about Azad, the Prime Minister described the terrorist attacks in Gujarat in 2007 when he and Azad were the Chief Ministers of Kashmir. Modi’s eyes filled when he said that Azad was bursting into tears when he told him about the attack over the phone. Words broke when Azad said he worked for the victims with more love than his own family. Noise. The church was silent. Modi stopped him by saluting him.
In his reply, Azad said that he was a Hindustani Muslim who considered himself lucky not to go to Pakistan. “It was Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi who got involved in politics,” Azad said emotionally. He said Atal Bihari was inspired by Vajpayee. ‘I learned from Atalji how to be an opposition leader.’
Azad’s term expires on the 15th of this month. Nasir Ahmad Lavai, Mir Mohammad Fayaz (both PDP) and Shamsher Singh Manhas (BJP) have also completed their terms.
The Congress leadership has stated that it has not discussed contesting Azad from Kerala for the Rajya Sabha.
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