Vice president Hamid Ansari at the 22nd justice sunanda Bhanadri Memorial Lecture in new Delhi. Express photo by Prem Nath Pandey 30 nov 16
A golfer, a wicketkeeper batsman, a fitness enthusiast and a career diplomat who had performed the difficult task of running Rajya Sabha for 10 long years with much grace — as MPs spoke eloquently about outgoing Vice-President Hamid Ansari, his command of English language was a common theme.
Leader of the House Arun Jaitley recalled his colourful turn of phrase calling unruly members a “federation of anarchists”, while DMK MP Tiruchi Siva recalled how Ansari, known for his impatience with long-winding supplementaries during question hour, had set the rule describing supplementaries as a “window not an elephant gate”.
As Rajya Sabha paid these tributes, Congress leader Ahmed Patel, who has just won a tight a battle in Gujarat to retain his seat, entered the House to applause and cheers from his partymen. He left about 40 minutes later, shaking hands all around.
Jaitley, who has worked with Ansari throughout his 10-year tenure, said: “…You called us ‘a federation of anarchists’ — some of us, and I was one of the culprits in that, we wanted the chair to set up a precedent of expunging its own remarks. Rather than taking offence to it, you used that as an opportunity for a democratic debate on whether there was anything objectionable in the word ‘anarchists’, and the debate took an interesting dimension whether anarchists can at all have a federation, because each anarchist is a solo player who plays for himself and can never join others.
The debate didn’t end, but I do recollect the memory of that debate. A few days ago, you called me and actually found yourself vindicated where somewhere in the world the anarchists had formed a federation and you thought it was a vindication of your use of the English language itself.” Leader of the Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad recalled his long association and his first memories of Ansari as chief of protocol when Indira Gandhi was PM. He referred to their shared love for golf and hoped that retirement would now give the chairman time to pursue it even though he himself had been forced to give it up.
Former PM Manmohan Singh said: “As prime minister of India, I received maximum possible guidance and cooperation from you. For me, Mr Chairman, you have been a friend, philosopher and guide.”
Trinamool MP Derek O’Brien said: “Does everybody know that the Chairman of the Rajya Sabha and Vice-President of India was No. 5 batsman and a top agile wicketkeeper who got the college cap? More on cricket, when you were the Ambassador to Iran, you introduced cricket to the staff of the Indian Embassy… and Iran, they say, is indebted to you because you started popularising cricket there. Some of us here are lovers of dogs. You are a wonderful dog lover because you have seven dogs at home,” O’Brien said. He also invited him “home” to Kolkata. Ansari lived and studied in West Bengal for many years. Urdu couplets came from both sides.
Even Ansari himself recited one in his farewell speech. Congress MP Karan Singh stood up to recite a Sanskrit blessing, saying that though as chairman Ansari was senior to him, he could bless him by dint of his age.CPM leader Sitaram Yechury, who himself is retiring, said Ansari stood like a rock to protect the rights of the House. “I remember, standing from here, asking you, at the midnight of August 31, as to what are you going to do when the clock strikes 12 o’clock at midnight. There was no answer. We all knew what would happen to the Lokpal Bill which was to be passed. And, eventually, you adjourned the House. We were bitterly upset. And, unfortunately, we do not have Lokpal even today,” Yechury said, referring to a time during UPA era when Ansari had upset many in the Opposition benches.
