PM Modi lauds 'disciplinarian' VP Naidu

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday praised Vice President Venkaiah Naidu for his focused efforts in developing rural India and his ability to endear himself to people across all sections.

Addressing a gathering at the book launch event of Naidu, who completed one year in office, the Prime Minister said, "The Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana came into being due to the efforts of Naidu Ji. In a time when political discourse was centered around train stoppages only, he ensured that leaders began to think more about roads and other forms of connectivity. Venkaiah Naidu ji has the ability to endear himself to people across all sections."

Calling Naidu a "disciplinarian", the Prime Minister said, "Naidu Ji has always provided visionary leadership whenever he gets a responsibility. He gets the best experts to ensure justice is done to the work assigned. He is also a disciplinarian." Prime Minister Modi further said, "Atal Ji wanted to give Venkaiah Naidu Ji a ministry. Venkaiah Ji said, 'I want to be the minister for rural development'. He is a farmer at heart. He is dedicated towards the welfare of farmers and agriculture."

Recalling old memories, Prime Minister Modi added that the Vice President always emphasised on assuming responsibility or "Karyabhaar" more than anything. "I have had the opportunity to work with Naidu Ji for several years. He emphasised on 'Karyabhaar' more than everything else. Whichever duty he had, he performed with utmost diligence and adapted into that role with ease. Naidu Ji has been in public life for 50 years - 10 years in student politics and 40 years in the state as well as national politics," the Prime Minister noted.

Concluding his speech, Prime Minister Modi said, "It is commendable that Naidu Ji has presented a report card of sorts about his first year in office, containing the rich work he has done both inside and outside Parliament."

The Prime Minister also praised the Vice President's "talent with words" by calling him a "magnificent speaker". He said, "We as a whole realise that Naidu Ji has a particular talent with words. He is a magnificent speaker, be it in English or Telugu."

Echoing similar thoughts, former Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh, who also attended the event, opined that "the best is yet to come."

"He brings to the office of the Vice President, political and administrative experience and that is amply reflected in his one year in office. But best is yet to come. As a poet has said, "Sitaron ke aage jahan aur bhi hain, abhi ishq ke imtehaan aur bhi hain," he noted.

Naidu has completed his first year as the Vice President of India and Chairman of the Rajya Sabha. He was sworn in as the Vice-President on August 11, 2017. On the completion of his first year, Prime Minister Modi released a book which commemorates the completion of Vice president's one year in office.

The 245-page book with seven chapters titled 'Moving On... Moving Forward: A Year In Office' with 465 illustrations has been written by Naidu himself. It brings out his mission of engagement on key issues with various stakeholders across the country and is in alignment with the mission of a new India in the making.

The book also contains a detailed chapter on various initiatives taken by Naidu as the Chairman of the Rajya Sabha and refers to the rapidly expanding viewership of the Rajya Sabha TV.

Former prime minister HD Deve Gowda, Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan and Finance Minister Arun Jaitley also attended the event among others.