Knowledgeable and educative farewell speeches by 13th (former) president of India and veteran Parliamentarian, Pranab Mukherjee
Ravi: I consider the two farewell speeches of veteran Indian parliamentarian and 13th president of India, Shri Pranab Mukherjee, to be very knowledgeable and educative on Indian democracy and history of Indian parliament.
Pranab Mukherjee, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pranab_Mukherjee, stepped into Indian Parliament in 1969 (48 years ago) as a member of the Rajya Sabha through the support of then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi and has been active in Indian politics since. He has held important union minister posts like those of defence, external affairs and finance under Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's UPA govt's two terms which was from 2004 to 2014, and was viewed as the number two man in PM Manmohan Singh's cabinet. Note that Mukherjee became president of India in 2012 at which time he would have resigned from any cabinet posts he had held and also resigned from being a member of parliament. Mukherjee also seems to have had a very good political relationship with Sonia Gandhi, the chairperson/president of the Congress party and leader of the UPA.
The two speeches below of Pranab Mukherjee reflect the nearly five decade long significant political role of Pranab Mukherjee in post-independence India. I think they are worthy of deep study and introspection.
Full Video : President Shri Pranab Mukherjee Farewell Address to The Nation, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ptOWDymiv5Q, 25 min. 3 secs, streamed live on 24th July 2017
Pic below is a screen grab from the above video:
Given below is the text of the speech from http://pib.nic.in/newsite/erelease.aspx?relid=0 [In LHS menu choose Presdient's secretariat and date as 24th July 2017; this url may lead directly to it: http://pib.nic.in/newsite/erelease.aspx?relid=168946]:
Fellow citizens:
1. On the eve of stepping down from office, I am overwhelmed by a deep sense of gratitude for the people of India, their elected representatives and the political parties for the trust and confidence they reposed in me. I am humbled by their kindness and affection. I have received much more from the country than I have given. For that, I will remain ever indebted to the people of India.
2. I congratulate and extend a warm welcome to Shri Ram Nath Kovind, the President-to-be and wish him success and happiness in the years to come.
Fellow citizens:
3. Our founding fathers, with the adoption of Constitution, set in motion powerful forces that liberated us from the stranglehold of inequity in gender, caste and community along with other fetters that had tied us for too long. It inspired a social and cultural evolution which put Indian society on the track to modernity.
4. A modern nation is built on some essential fundamentals - democracy or equal rights for every citizen, secularism or equal freedom to every faith, equality of every region, and economic equity. For development to be real, the poorest of the land must feel that they are a part of the nation’s narrative.
Fellow citizens:
5. Five years ago, when I took the oath of office of the President of the Republic, I promised to preserve, protect and defend our Constitution, not just in word but also in spirit. Each day of these five years, I was conscious of my responsibility. I learnt from my travels across the length and breadth of the country. I learnt from my conversations with young and bright minds in colleges and universities, scientists, innovators, scholars, jurists, authors, artists and leaders from across the spectrum. These interactions kept me focused and inspired. I strove hard. How successful I was in discharging my responsibilities will be judged, over the time, by the critical lens of history.
Fellow citizens:
6. As one advances in years, so does one’s propensity to sermonize. But I have no sermon to make. For the past fifty years of my public life, -
My sacred text has been the Constitution of India;
My temple has been the Parliament of India; and
My passion has been the service of the people of India.
7. I want to share with you some truths that I have internalized in this period:
8. The soul of India resides in pluralism and tolerance. India is not just a geographical entity. It carries a history of ideas, philosophy, intellect, industrial genius, craft, innovation and experience. Plurality of our society has come about through assimilation of ideas over centuries. The multiplicity in culture, faith and language is what makes India special. We derive our strength from tolerance. It has been part of our collective consciousness for centuries. There are divergent strands in public discourse. We may argue, we may agree or we may not agree. But we cannot deny the essential prevalence of multiplicity of opinion. Otherwise, a fundamental character of our thought process will wither away.
9. The capacity for compassion and empathy is the true foundation of our civilization. But every day, we see increased violence around us. At the heart of this violence is darkness, fear and mistrust. We must free our public discourse from all forms of violence, physical as well as verbal. Only a non-violent society can ensure the participation of all sections of the people, especially the marginalized and the dispossessed in the democratic process. Power of non-violence has to be resurrected to build a compassionate and caring society.
10. Protection of the environment is essential for our survival. Nature has been kind to us in its bounty. But when greed exceeds need, nature lets loose its fury. We often see some parts of India affected by devastating floods while others reel under severe drought. Climate change has put farming sector under tremendous stress. Scientists and technologists have to work with millions of farmers and workers to revive the health of our soil, arrest the decline in water table and restore the ecological balance. We all have to act together now for the future may not give us another chance.
11. As I had said on assuming the Office of the President, education is the alchemy that can take India to its next golden age. A reordering of society is possible through the transformative power of education. For that, we have to upgrade our higher institutions of learning to world-class levels. Our education system must accept disruption as a norm and prepare our students to manage and build upon the disruptions. Our universities should not be a place for rote-memorizing but an assembly of inquisitive minds. Creative thinking, innovation and scientific temper have to be promoted in our institutions of higher learning. It calls for application of logic through discussion, argument and analysis. These qualities have to be cultivated and autonomy of mind has to be encouraged.
12. For us, creation of an inclusive society has to be an article of faith. Gandhiji saw India as an inclusive nation where every section of our population lived in equality and enjoyed equal opportunity. He wanted our people to move forward unitedly in ever-widening thought and action. Financial inclusion is at the core of an equitable society. We must empower the poorest of the poor and ensure that the fruits of our policies reach the last person in the line.
13. To lead healthy, happy and productive lives is the basic right of our citizens. Happiness is fundamental to the human experience of life. Happiness is equally the outcome of economic and non-economic parameters. The quest for happiness is closely tied to the quest for sustainable development, which is the combination of human well-being, social inclusion and environmental stability. Eradication of poverty would provide a strong boost to happiness. A sustainable environment would prevent damage to the planetary resources. Social inclusion would ensure access to the fruits of progress to all. Good governance would provide the ability to people to shape their own lives through transparent, accountable and participatory political institutions.
Fellow citizens:
14. During my five years in Rashtrapati Bhavan, we tried to build a humane and happy township. We found happiness that is associated with joy and pride, smiling and laughter, good health, feeling of safety and positive actions. We learnt to wear a smile always; to laugh at life; to connect with nature and get involved with the community. And then, we extended our experience to a few villages in the neighbourhood. The journey continues.
Fellow citizens:
15. As I get ready to leave, let me repeat what I said in my first Address to the Nation on the eve of Independence Day 2012: “Words cannot adequately express my gratitude to the people and their representatives for the honour of this high office even as I am deeply conscious of the fact that the highest honour in our democracy does not lie in any office but in being a citizen of India, our motherland. We are all equal children before our mother and India asks each one of us in whatever role we play in the complex drama of nation building to do our duty with integrity, commitment and unflinching loyalty to the values enshrined in our Constitution”.
16. When I speak to you tomorrow, it will not be as the President but as a citizen– a pilgrim like all of you in India’s onward march towards glory.
Thank you.
Jai Hind.
--- end text of former president Pranab Mukherjee's farewell speech to citizens of the nation ---
[Above transcript seems to be also available here at the archived FB posts of president Mukherjee: https://www.facebook.com/POI13/posts/1136186949814618]
========================================================
This is a video of a different farewell speech (seems to be on 23rd July 2017), Pranab Mukherjee Speech At His Farewell Meeting Held At Central Hall of Parliament, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7pfciffEpKQ, 21 min 3 secs. published on 23rd July 2017.
Given below are pics of the event courtesy:
https://www.facebook.com/POI13/posts/1135362416563738
Given below is a transcript of above speech from https://www.facebook.com/POI13/posts/1135259909907322 dated 23rd July 2017:
1. Honourable Members, I would like to acknowledge my deep gratitude and appreciation to Honourable Speaker and the Honourable Chairman, Rajya Sabha and Honourable Members of Parliament for organizing this farewell ceremony on the eve of my demitting office as the 13th President of the Republic of India.
2. Honourable Members, if I say I am a creation of this Parliament. It shaped by political outlook and persona. Bear with me if I feel nostalgic and indulge myself by going back to the past. On 26th January 1950, the Constitution of India came into effect. In a remarkable display of idealism and courage, we the people of India gave to ourselves a sovereign democratic republic to secure to all its citizens justice, liberty and equality. We undertook to promote amongst all citizens fraternity, the dignity of the individual and the unity of the nation. These ideals became the lodestars of the modern Indian state. The Indian Constitution consisting of 395 Articles and 12 Schedules is not merely a legal document for administration but the Magna Carta of socio-economic transformation of the country. It represents the hopes and aspirations of the billion plus Indians.
3. Sixty eight years ago, after the first general election, the Indian Parliament began its journey representing the sovereign will of its people. Both the Houses were constituted, the first President of the Republic was elected who addressed the first Joint Session of the Parliament and the Indian Parliamentary system rolled out.
Hon’ble Members:
4. When I first entered the portals of this hallowed institution 48 years ago, I was only 34 years old. In July 1969, I came to this Parliament as a member of Rajya Sabha representing one of the six seats from the State of West Bengal. My election to Rajya Sabha took place on 4th July and the first session I attended began on July 22nd, 1969.
5. Hon’ble Members, since then, for 37 years I served as a Member of Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha. Of these, I served five terms as a Member of the Rajya Sabha, elected for four terms from West Bengal and one term from Gujarat, and two terms in the Lok Sabha. My long career has been instructive and educative. I entered Parliament at a time when the Rajya Sabha was full of experienced Parliamentarians and leaders of the freedom movement, many of whom were brilliant speakers: M.C. Chagla, Ajit Prasad Jain, Jairamdas Daulatram, Bhupesh Gupta, Joachim Alva, Mahavir Tyagi, Raj Narain, Bhai Mahavir, Loknath Misra, Chitta Basu and many more. In fact, Bhupesh Gupta was truly a legend in the Rajya Sabha. Dahyabhai Patel and Maniben Patel, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel’s son and daughter, represented Swatantra Party in the Parliament. My years in Parliament were further enriched by the wisdom of P.V. Narasimha Rao, oration of Atal Bihari Vajpayee, cryptic one-liners of Madhu Limaye and Dr. Nath Pai, wit and humour of Piloo Modi, poetic discourses of Hiren Mukherjee, razor sharp repartee of Indrajit Gupta, calming presence of Dr. Manmohan Singh, mature advice of L.K. Advani and passionate support of Sonia Gandhi on social legislations.
6. My career as a Parliamentarian was no doubt mentored by Shrimati Indira Gandhi. Her steely determination, clarity of thought and decisive actions made her a towering personality. She never hesitated to call a spade a spade. I remember after the defeat of Congress in the post-Emergency election, we had gone to London in November, 1978. A large number of media persons in a fairly aggressive mood were waiting to ask Shrimati Gandhi questions. The first question that was flung at her was, “What have been your gains from the Emergency?” Looking at the journalist squarely in the eye, in a level voice, Indira Gandhi replied, “In those 21 months, we comprehensively managed to alienate all sections of Indian people.” Big silence followed by loud laughter! Not one question was asked after that and the media persons just melted away. And I also learnt an early lesson of acknowledging my mistakes and rectifying them. Self-correction in such situations is always a better option than self-justification.
7. Hon’ble Members, in those days, both the Houses of the Parliament used to reverberate with animated discussions and illuminative and exhaustive debates on social and financial legislations. Listening to the stalwarts for hours and days in Parliament sitting in the Treasury or Opposition Benches, I felt one with the soul of this living institution. I understood the real value of debate, discussion and dissent. I realized how disruption hurts the opposition more than the government as it denies them the opportunity to raise the concerns of the people. I internalized the essence of what Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru had said (and I quote): “There has always to be balancing of change and continuity. The system of parliamentary democracy embodies these principles of change and continuity. And it is up to those who function in this system, members of the House and the numerous others who are part of this system, to increase the pace of change, to make it as fast as they like, subject to the principle of continuity. If continuity is broken, we become rootless and the system of parliamentary democracy breaks down” (unquote). I experienced the joy of the enactment of pro-poor and pro-farmer legislations. The recent passage of Goods and Services Tax and its launch on 1st July is a shining example of co-operative federalism and speaks volumes for the maturity of Indian Parliament. To be a part of this system is a unique experience and I am grateful to the people of this great country for giving me that opportunity.
8. I had the privilege of being a witness and a participant in the unfolding scenario of emergence of a great India. An India where 130 crore people belonging to three major ethnic groups – Aryans, Dravidians and Mongoloids – practicing 7 major religions and speaking 122 languages in daily lives live under one Constitution, one flag and one administrative system.
9. Hon’ble Members, not a single part of this vast territory of 3.3 million square kilometers of landmass and islands is unrepresented in the Parliament. 543 persons from the 543 territorial constituencies of this country representing the people in Lok Sabha and 245 persons elected by 29 States and 7 Union Territories make laws, scrutinize orders of the executive and enforce accountability to protect the interests of the people. Each of these 788 voices is important. It is unfortunate that the parliamentary time devoted to legislation has been declining. With the heightened complexity of administration, legislation must be preceded by scrutiny and adequate discussion. Scrutiny in committees is no substitute to open discussion on the floor of the House. When the Parliament fails to discharge its law-making role or enacts laws without discussion, I feel it breaches the trust reposed in it by the people of this great country.
10. Through the instrument of Ordinances, the Executive has been vested with extraordinary powers to make laws to meet exigencies during a time when Parliament is not in session. However, such Ordinances have to be approved by Parliament within six weeks of the next session of the Parliament.
11. I am firm in the opinion that the Ordinance route should be used only in compelling circumstances and there should be no recourse to Ordinances on monetary matters. Ordinance route should not be taken on matters which are being considered or have been introduced in the House or a committee of the House. If a matter is deemed urgent, the concerned committee should be made aware of the situation and should be mandated to present its report within the stipulated time.
Hon’ble Members:
12. It was in July 2012 that my membership in Lok Sabha came to an end when I was declare elected as the 13th President of the Republic on 22nd of that month. Even though thirty-seven years of my life in Parliament came to an end on that day but I still continued to have a tenacious link with this institution, in fact I became an integral part of it, as the President of Republic, as per the Constitution. Article 79 of the Indian Constitution says: “There shall be a Parliament for the Union which shall consist of the President and two Houses to be known respectively as the Council of States and the House of the People.” In these five years, my principal responsibility was to function as the guardian of the Constitution. As I had said on oath, I strived to preserve, protect and defend our Constitution, not just in word but also in spirit. In this task, I greatly benefitted from the advice and co-operation extended by Prime Minister Modi at every step. With passion and energy, he is driving transformational changes in the country. I will carry with me fond memories of our association and his warm and courteous behaviour.
13. As I retire from the Office of the President of the Republic, my association with the Parliament also comes to an end. I will no longer be a part of the Parliament of India. It will be with a tinge of sadness and a rainbow of memories that I will be leaving this magnificent building today.
14. Dear friends, with a sense of gratitude and a prayer in my heart, I take leave of you. I leave with a sense of fulfilment and happiness of having served the people of this great country through this institution- as their humble servant.
Thank you,
Jai Hind!
--- end text of former president Pranab Mukherjee's farewell speech to Parliament ---
[I thank pib.nic.in and facebook.com/POI13, and have presumed that they will not have any objections to me sharing the above extracts and pics from their website/Facebook pages on this post which is freely viewable by all, and does not have any financial profit motive whatsoever.]
Pranab Mukherjee, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pranab_Mukherjee, stepped into Indian Parliament in 1969 (48 years ago) as a member of the Rajya Sabha through the support of then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi and has been active in Indian politics since. He has held important union minister posts like those of defence, external affairs and finance under Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's UPA govt's two terms which was from 2004 to 2014, and was viewed as the number two man in PM Manmohan Singh's cabinet. Note that Mukherjee became president of India in 2012 at which time he would have resigned from any cabinet posts he had held and also resigned from being a member of parliament. Mukherjee also seems to have had a very good political relationship with Sonia Gandhi, the chairperson/president of the Congress party and leader of the UPA.
The two speeches below of Pranab Mukherjee reflect the nearly five decade long significant political role of Pranab Mukherjee in post-independence India. I think they are worthy of deep study and introspection.
Full Video : President Shri Pranab Mukherjee Farewell Address to The Nation, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ptOWDymiv5Q, 25 min. 3 secs, streamed live on 24th July 2017
Pic below is a screen grab from the above video:
Given below is the text of the speech from http://pib.nic.in/newsite/erelease.aspx?relid=0 [In LHS menu choose Presdient's secretariat and date as 24th July 2017; this url may lead directly to it: http://pib.nic.in/newsite/erelease.aspx?relid=168946]:
Fellow citizens:
1. On the eve of stepping down from office, I am overwhelmed by a deep sense of gratitude for the people of India, their elected representatives and the political parties for the trust and confidence they reposed in me. I am humbled by their kindness and affection. I have received much more from the country than I have given. For that, I will remain ever indebted to the people of India.
2. I congratulate and extend a warm welcome to Shri Ram Nath Kovind, the President-to-be and wish him success and happiness in the years to come.
Fellow citizens:
3. Our founding fathers, with the adoption of Constitution, set in motion powerful forces that liberated us from the stranglehold of inequity in gender, caste and community along with other fetters that had tied us for too long. It inspired a social and cultural evolution which put Indian society on the track to modernity.
4. A modern nation is built on some essential fundamentals - democracy or equal rights for every citizen, secularism or equal freedom to every faith, equality of every region, and economic equity. For development to be real, the poorest of the land must feel that they are a part of the nation’s narrative.
Fellow citizens:
5. Five years ago, when I took the oath of office of the President of the Republic, I promised to preserve, protect and defend our Constitution, not just in word but also in spirit. Each day of these five years, I was conscious of my responsibility. I learnt from my travels across the length and breadth of the country. I learnt from my conversations with young and bright minds in colleges and universities, scientists, innovators, scholars, jurists, authors, artists and leaders from across the spectrum. These interactions kept me focused and inspired. I strove hard. How successful I was in discharging my responsibilities will be judged, over the time, by the critical lens of history.
Fellow citizens:
6. As one advances in years, so does one’s propensity to sermonize. But I have no sermon to make. For the past fifty years of my public life, -
My sacred text has been the Constitution of India;
My temple has been the Parliament of India; and
My passion has been the service of the people of India.
7. I want to share with you some truths that I have internalized in this period:
8. The soul of India resides in pluralism and tolerance. India is not just a geographical entity. It carries a history of ideas, philosophy, intellect, industrial genius, craft, innovation and experience. Plurality of our society has come about through assimilation of ideas over centuries. The multiplicity in culture, faith and language is what makes India special. We derive our strength from tolerance. It has been part of our collective consciousness for centuries. There are divergent strands in public discourse. We may argue, we may agree or we may not agree. But we cannot deny the essential prevalence of multiplicity of opinion. Otherwise, a fundamental character of our thought process will wither away.
9. The capacity for compassion and empathy is the true foundation of our civilization. But every day, we see increased violence around us. At the heart of this violence is darkness, fear and mistrust. We must free our public discourse from all forms of violence, physical as well as verbal. Only a non-violent society can ensure the participation of all sections of the people, especially the marginalized and the dispossessed in the democratic process. Power of non-violence has to be resurrected to build a compassionate and caring society.
10. Protection of the environment is essential for our survival. Nature has been kind to us in its bounty. But when greed exceeds need, nature lets loose its fury. We often see some parts of India affected by devastating floods while others reel under severe drought. Climate change has put farming sector under tremendous stress. Scientists and technologists have to work with millions of farmers and workers to revive the health of our soil, arrest the decline in water table and restore the ecological balance. We all have to act together now for the future may not give us another chance.
11. As I had said on assuming the Office of the President, education is the alchemy that can take India to its next golden age. A reordering of society is possible through the transformative power of education. For that, we have to upgrade our higher institutions of learning to world-class levels. Our education system must accept disruption as a norm and prepare our students to manage and build upon the disruptions. Our universities should not be a place for rote-memorizing but an assembly of inquisitive minds. Creative thinking, innovation and scientific temper have to be promoted in our institutions of higher learning. It calls for application of logic through discussion, argument and analysis. These qualities have to be cultivated and autonomy of mind has to be encouraged.
12. For us, creation of an inclusive society has to be an article of faith. Gandhiji saw India as an inclusive nation where every section of our population lived in equality and enjoyed equal opportunity. He wanted our people to move forward unitedly in ever-widening thought and action. Financial inclusion is at the core of an equitable society. We must empower the poorest of the poor and ensure that the fruits of our policies reach the last person in the line.
13. To lead healthy, happy and productive lives is the basic right of our citizens. Happiness is fundamental to the human experience of life. Happiness is equally the outcome of economic and non-economic parameters. The quest for happiness is closely tied to the quest for sustainable development, which is the combination of human well-being, social inclusion and environmental stability. Eradication of poverty would provide a strong boost to happiness. A sustainable environment would prevent damage to the planetary resources. Social inclusion would ensure access to the fruits of progress to all. Good governance would provide the ability to people to shape their own lives through transparent, accountable and participatory political institutions.
Fellow citizens:
14. During my five years in Rashtrapati Bhavan, we tried to build a humane and happy township. We found happiness that is associated with joy and pride, smiling and laughter, good health, feeling of safety and positive actions. We learnt to wear a smile always; to laugh at life; to connect with nature and get involved with the community. And then, we extended our experience to a few villages in the neighbourhood. The journey continues.
Fellow citizens:
15. As I get ready to leave, let me repeat what I said in my first Address to the Nation on the eve of Independence Day 2012: “Words cannot adequately express my gratitude to the people and their representatives for the honour of this high office even as I am deeply conscious of the fact that the highest honour in our democracy does not lie in any office but in being a citizen of India, our motherland. We are all equal children before our mother and India asks each one of us in whatever role we play in the complex drama of nation building to do our duty with integrity, commitment and unflinching loyalty to the values enshrined in our Constitution”.
16. When I speak to you tomorrow, it will not be as the President but as a citizen– a pilgrim like all of you in India’s onward march towards glory.
Thank you.
Jai Hind.
--- end text of former president Pranab Mukherjee's farewell speech to citizens of the nation ---
[Above transcript seems to be also available here at the archived FB posts of president Mukherjee: https://www.facebook.com/POI13/posts/1136186949814618]
========================================================
This is a video of a different farewell speech (seems to be on 23rd July 2017), Pranab Mukherjee Speech At His Farewell Meeting Held At Central Hall of Parliament, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7pfciffEpKQ, 21 min 3 secs. published on 23rd July 2017.
Given below are pics of the event courtesy:
https://www.facebook.com/POI13/posts/1135362416563738
Given below is a transcript of above speech from https://www.facebook.com/POI13/posts/1135259909907322 dated 23rd July 2017:
1. Honourable Members, I would like to acknowledge my deep gratitude and appreciation to Honourable Speaker and the Honourable Chairman, Rajya Sabha and Honourable Members of Parliament for organizing this farewell ceremony on the eve of my demitting office as the 13th President of the Republic of India.
2. Honourable Members, if I say I am a creation of this Parliament. It shaped by political outlook and persona. Bear with me if I feel nostalgic and indulge myself by going back to the past. On 26th January 1950, the Constitution of India came into effect. In a remarkable display of idealism and courage, we the people of India gave to ourselves a sovereign democratic republic to secure to all its citizens justice, liberty and equality. We undertook to promote amongst all citizens fraternity, the dignity of the individual and the unity of the nation. These ideals became the lodestars of the modern Indian state. The Indian Constitution consisting of 395 Articles and 12 Schedules is not merely a legal document for administration but the Magna Carta of socio-economic transformation of the country. It represents the hopes and aspirations of the billion plus Indians.
3. Sixty eight years ago, after the first general election, the Indian Parliament began its journey representing the sovereign will of its people. Both the Houses were constituted, the first President of the Republic was elected who addressed the first Joint Session of the Parliament and the Indian Parliamentary system rolled out.
Hon’ble Members:
4. When I first entered the portals of this hallowed institution 48 years ago, I was only 34 years old. In July 1969, I came to this Parliament as a member of Rajya Sabha representing one of the six seats from the State of West Bengal. My election to Rajya Sabha took place on 4th July and the first session I attended began on July 22nd, 1969.
5. Hon’ble Members, since then, for 37 years I served as a Member of Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha. Of these, I served five terms as a Member of the Rajya Sabha, elected for four terms from West Bengal and one term from Gujarat, and two terms in the Lok Sabha. My long career has been instructive and educative. I entered Parliament at a time when the Rajya Sabha was full of experienced Parliamentarians and leaders of the freedom movement, many of whom were brilliant speakers: M.C. Chagla, Ajit Prasad Jain, Jairamdas Daulatram, Bhupesh Gupta, Joachim Alva, Mahavir Tyagi, Raj Narain, Bhai Mahavir, Loknath Misra, Chitta Basu and many more. In fact, Bhupesh Gupta was truly a legend in the Rajya Sabha. Dahyabhai Patel and Maniben Patel, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel’s son and daughter, represented Swatantra Party in the Parliament. My years in Parliament were further enriched by the wisdom of P.V. Narasimha Rao, oration of Atal Bihari Vajpayee, cryptic one-liners of Madhu Limaye and Dr. Nath Pai, wit and humour of Piloo Modi, poetic discourses of Hiren Mukherjee, razor sharp repartee of Indrajit Gupta, calming presence of Dr. Manmohan Singh, mature advice of L.K. Advani and passionate support of Sonia Gandhi on social legislations.
6. My career as a Parliamentarian was no doubt mentored by Shrimati Indira Gandhi. Her steely determination, clarity of thought and decisive actions made her a towering personality. She never hesitated to call a spade a spade. I remember after the defeat of Congress in the post-Emergency election, we had gone to London in November, 1978. A large number of media persons in a fairly aggressive mood were waiting to ask Shrimati Gandhi questions. The first question that was flung at her was, “What have been your gains from the Emergency?” Looking at the journalist squarely in the eye, in a level voice, Indira Gandhi replied, “In those 21 months, we comprehensively managed to alienate all sections of Indian people.” Big silence followed by loud laughter! Not one question was asked after that and the media persons just melted away. And I also learnt an early lesson of acknowledging my mistakes and rectifying them. Self-correction in such situations is always a better option than self-justification.
7. Hon’ble Members, in those days, both the Houses of the Parliament used to reverberate with animated discussions and illuminative and exhaustive debates on social and financial legislations. Listening to the stalwarts for hours and days in Parliament sitting in the Treasury or Opposition Benches, I felt one with the soul of this living institution. I understood the real value of debate, discussion and dissent. I realized how disruption hurts the opposition more than the government as it denies them the opportunity to raise the concerns of the people. I internalized the essence of what Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru had said (and I quote): “There has always to be balancing of change and continuity. The system of parliamentary democracy embodies these principles of change and continuity. And it is up to those who function in this system, members of the House and the numerous others who are part of this system, to increase the pace of change, to make it as fast as they like, subject to the principle of continuity. If continuity is broken, we become rootless and the system of parliamentary democracy breaks down” (unquote). I experienced the joy of the enactment of pro-poor and pro-farmer legislations. The recent passage of Goods and Services Tax and its launch on 1st July is a shining example of co-operative federalism and speaks volumes for the maturity of Indian Parliament. To be a part of this system is a unique experience and I am grateful to the people of this great country for giving me that opportunity.
8. I had the privilege of being a witness and a participant in the unfolding scenario of emergence of a great India. An India where 130 crore people belonging to three major ethnic groups – Aryans, Dravidians and Mongoloids – practicing 7 major religions and speaking 122 languages in daily lives live under one Constitution, one flag and one administrative system.
9. Hon’ble Members, not a single part of this vast territory of 3.3 million square kilometers of landmass and islands is unrepresented in the Parliament. 543 persons from the 543 territorial constituencies of this country representing the people in Lok Sabha and 245 persons elected by 29 States and 7 Union Territories make laws, scrutinize orders of the executive and enforce accountability to protect the interests of the people. Each of these 788 voices is important. It is unfortunate that the parliamentary time devoted to legislation has been declining. With the heightened complexity of administration, legislation must be preceded by scrutiny and adequate discussion. Scrutiny in committees is no substitute to open discussion on the floor of the House. When the Parliament fails to discharge its law-making role or enacts laws without discussion, I feel it breaches the trust reposed in it by the people of this great country.
10. Through the instrument of Ordinances, the Executive has been vested with extraordinary powers to make laws to meet exigencies during a time when Parliament is not in session. However, such Ordinances have to be approved by Parliament within six weeks of the next session of the Parliament.
11. I am firm in the opinion that the Ordinance route should be used only in compelling circumstances and there should be no recourse to Ordinances on monetary matters. Ordinance route should not be taken on matters which are being considered or have been introduced in the House or a committee of the House. If a matter is deemed urgent, the concerned committee should be made aware of the situation and should be mandated to present its report within the stipulated time.
Hon’ble Members:
12. It was in July 2012 that my membership in Lok Sabha came to an end when I was declare elected as the 13th President of the Republic on 22nd of that month. Even though thirty-seven years of my life in Parliament came to an end on that day but I still continued to have a tenacious link with this institution, in fact I became an integral part of it, as the President of Republic, as per the Constitution. Article 79 of the Indian Constitution says: “There shall be a Parliament for the Union which shall consist of the President and two Houses to be known respectively as the Council of States and the House of the People.” In these five years, my principal responsibility was to function as the guardian of the Constitution. As I had said on oath, I strived to preserve, protect and defend our Constitution, not just in word but also in spirit. In this task, I greatly benefitted from the advice and co-operation extended by Prime Minister Modi at every step. With passion and energy, he is driving transformational changes in the country. I will carry with me fond memories of our association and his warm and courteous behaviour.
13. As I retire from the Office of the President of the Republic, my association with the Parliament also comes to an end. I will no longer be a part of the Parliament of India. It will be with a tinge of sadness and a rainbow of memories that I will be leaving this magnificent building today.
14. Dear friends, with a sense of gratitude and a prayer in my heart, I take leave of you. I leave with a sense of fulfilment and happiness of having served the people of this great country through this institution- as their humble servant.
Thank you,
Jai Hind!
--- end text of former president Pranab Mukherjee's farewell speech to Parliament ---
[I thank pib.nic.in and facebook.com/POI13, and have presumed that they will not have any objections to me sharing the above extracts and pics from their website/Facebook pages on this post which is freely viewable by all, and does not have any financial profit motive whatsoever.]
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