PM Modi breaks down as he bids farewell to retiring MPs in Rajya Sabha

Modi said it would be difficult for anyone to fill the shoes of Azad as he cared not only about his political affiliation but also about the country and the House

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Leader of Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad turned emotional in Rajya Sabha during farewell speeches of retiring MPs on Tuesday as both recalled a terror strike in Jammu and Kashmir 15 years ago.

Both made the mention of the terror strike during the farewell speeches of four retiring Rajya Sabha MPs, including Azad.

Azad along with Nazir Ahmed Lavay (on February 15), Shamser Singh Manhas and Mir Mohd Fayaz (on February 10) are retiring from Rajya Sabha in the next one week and the Upper House held a farewell.

With the retirement of these four MPs, Jammu and Kashmir will not have a representative in the Upper House, as the union territory does not have an elected Assembly to elect MPs. Also, the post of Leader of Opposition has been thrown open with names of senior Congress leaders Mallikarjun Kharge, P Chidambaram, Digvijay Singh and Anand Sharma doing the rounds.

Modi said, "I worry that after Azad, whosoever will take over from him will have very big boots to fill because he cared not only about his party but about the country, as well as the House. This is no small feat, it is a big thing."

Referring to the 2005 terror strike incident, in which Gujarati pilgrims were killed in Jammu and Kashmir, Modi said Azad was the first to call him and inform about the incident. Modi was the Gujarat Chief Minister while Azad was his counterpart in Jammu and Kashmir.

As he recalled the incident, Modi broke down in the House and said Azad was the first to call him, during which he (Azad) broke down. "Azad went to the airport later when the bodies were sent back and kept in touch till the plane landed in Gujarat," Modi said.

"Power comes and goes but (only a few know) how to digest it...therefore like a friend, I respect him on the basis of the things he has done over these years," Modi said.

"At a personal level, I would request him to not believe that he is not in the House. My door is always open for you. I will always expect and value your inputs. I will not let you become weak," Modi said as he saluted him.

Azad also became emotional while recalling the incident and said that he cried out loud only four or five times, which included the sudden deaths of Indira Gandhi, Sanjay Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi as well as during the Super Cyclone in Odisha in 1999.

"The fifth time was the incident the Prime Minister mentioned...When I reached the airport to see the injured who were being shifted to Gujarat, I saw a number of children. They grabbed my legs and cried. When children are crying how will you respond? Terrorism and militancy should end," Azad said as tears welled up in his eyes.

Leader after leader praised Azad with Rajya Sabha Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu described Azad as a role model who will be missed by him the most.

"His is a voice of sanity...He speaks softly but conveys the views very strongly," Naidu added.