Prime Minister Narendra Modi struggled in his speech in the parliament today during the farewell of Rajya Sabha Leader of Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad.
PM Modi praised the veteran politician and shared the episode when both of them were the Chief Minister of their respective states Gujarat and Jammu and Kashmir.
“I have known Shri Ghulam Nabi Azad for years. We were Chief Ministers together. We had interacted even before I became Chief Minister, when Azad Sahab was very much in active politics. He has a passion not many know about – gardening,” PM Modi said.
“I will never forget Shri Azad’s efforts and Pranab Mukherjee’s efforts when people from Gujarat were stuck in Kashmir due to a terror attack. That night…Ghulam Nabi Ji called me…,” he recalled, fighting tears, and paused for water.
“He sounded concerned like people are concerned about their own family members. That is the kind of feeling he showed.” As the Prime Minister stopped to gather himself, there was loud desk-thumping.
Meanwhile, Ghulam Nabi Azad in his farewell speech has said that he is proud Indian Muslim. Azad earlier received a huge vote of thanks in the entire Rajya Sabha from the political veterans.
“I am among those fortunate people who never went to Pakistan. When I read about circumstances in Pakistan, I feel proud to be a Hindustani Muslim,” Azad said during his farewell speech in the Rajya Sabha.