Your energy is infectious: PM Modi writes to Naidu

New Delhi [India], August 11 : Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday wrote a letter to former Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu, lauding him for his service to the nation during his tenure. In the letter, PM Modi compared Naidu to Acharya Vinoba Bhave and commended his infectious energy and for substantially improving the productivity of Rajya Sabha.
"Greetings on the auspicious occasion of Raksha Bandhan a few days ago, I spoke on the floor of the Rajya Sabha during your farewell. At that time, a lot of memories and shared experiences came to my mind. From the small lanes of Nellore to the Vice-Presidency, yours has been an outstanding and inspiring journey. One can imagine the power of conviction and the commitment to an ideology that drove you to join a political movement and a party that had little presence in your State. Not only that, the prime of your youth was spent either in the movement to protect our democracy or as an MLA or leader of a Party which was largely in the Opposition. Whenever any challenge or setback came, it only strengthened your resolve to go about your work with even more courage," PM Modi wrote in the letter.
From appreciating Naidu's wit and wisdom to underlining his shades of brilliance, the Prime Minister expressed his heartfelt feelings.
"Your energy is infectious. It can be seen in your wit and wisdom. Your one-liners are widely admired. Articulation has always been among your greatest strengths. The writings of Vinoba Bhave Ji have always impressed me. He knew how to present things in a crisp manner. using the most suitable words. Whenever I hear you. I see shades of the same brilliance. You have the ability to mesmerise an audience and convey things in a simple manner. When you were a senior office-bearer in the Party, top level journalists, correspondents, thinkers and intellectuals were always eager to hear your insightful and convincing analysis of geo-political issues," the Prime Minister wrote.
The Prime Minister also recalled the time period when BJP leader LK Advani was active in the political sphere and his association with Naidu.
"There is a related anecdote which comes to my mind. During Advani Ji's Rath Yatra, I had been given various organisational duties and was keeping a close track of the Yatra. On one occasion. I asked the security personnel accompanying Advani Ji about their experience and one of them told me that some of the programmes in Andhra Pradesh were particularly enjoyable. When I asked why, they told me that there was one leader Venkaiah Naidu Ji, who spoke in super-fast Telugu and that while they did not understand what was being spoken, they could see the tremendous impact on the audience."
The Prime Minister also lauded Naidu's efforts to keep himself energetic and regular.
"One could see your energy in the punishing schedule vest kept through the Vice-Presidency. You ventured to different parts of the country, and interacted with people from different walks of life, particularly the youth. It was not an uncommon sight to see you briskly walking or jogging early in the morning, no matter which part of the country or the world you were in In Delhi, I know that you try to be as regular as possible with your daily badminton game. As the Chairman of the Rajya Sabha, you presided over the House with brilliance," wrote PM Modi.
"Your warm relations with leaders in the treasury and opposition benches furthered a spirit of cordiality in the House. It was heartening to see first-time Members, women, and younger Members get more opportunities to express themselves. The success of your approach is evident in the record rise in the Rajya Sabha's productivity during your years as the Chairman," wrote PM Modi.
He further wrote, "In the five years gone by, several historic bills have been passed and you will certainly look back at them with satisfaction. I am sure the legislations on Articles 370 and 35(A), which were first tabled in the Rajya Sabha would have made you very proud."
"Always a stickler for Parliamentary discipline and traditions, I know of your personal anguish and discomfort whenever there were unseemly disruptions or the dignity of the Parliament was lowered in any manner. Whenever you spoke about it, there was deep pain in your voice, conveying your worry for the long-term future of our nation and the vibrancy of the Parliament," he said.
"During your official visits overseas, you put forward India's position on various subjects forthrightly. Indeed, a number of world leaders have told me how impressed they were with your clarity of thought and wisdom. Your tenure in the BJP Organisation has also been memorable. Needless to say, the interest you took in organisational matters energized every Karyakarta. You made efforts to strengthen systems in the Party, by setting up more Party offices, ensuring they are active hubs of public service and elaborating on the exact roles of each Party position," he said.
"I will always remain an admirer of your zest for life. Your hospitality is exceptional. During your annual Sankranti gathering, one can see the vibrant colours, culture and cuisine of the Telugu people on full display," he said.
Meanwhile, Jagdeep Dhankhar on Thursday took oath as the 14th Vice President of India.
President Droupadi Murmu administered the oath of office of Vice President to him at Rashtrapati Bhavan in Delhi. The Vice President is also the ex-officio Chairman of the Rajya Sabha. Dhankhar was elected as Vice President on August 6 after defeating the Opposition candidate Margaret Alva.
On August 7, Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar and Election Commissioner Anup Chandra Pandey jointly signed the 'Certification of the Election of Jagdeep Dhankar as the next Vice President of India'.
The BJP-led NDA candidate, who succeeded Naidu, won the election comfortably with 528 votes against Alva's 182. Dhankhar secured 74.36 per cent. He has the highest winning margin in the last six vice presidential elections held since 1997.