The Rajya Sabha on Thursday bid farewell to its retiring members Karan Singh , Janardhan Dwivedi and Pervez Hashmi. Soon after the laying of papers , Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu said three members of the House Dr Karan Singh, Janardhan Dwivedi and Parvez Hashmi are retiring on 23rd January.

”I bid them farewell. The retiring members have made a significant contribution to the working of the Rajya Sabha. During their tenure, they have lent dignity and grance to the House.”Bidding adieu to Dr Karan Singh, Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad said he was proud to have worked with him in the Council of States.
”We are proud to work with a person who has had the opportunity to meet Father of the Nation Mahatma Gandhi and all the Prime Ministers of the Republic since Independence.

He also has had the privilege to work with many PMs in post independent India. ”He is also the only person in post Independent India who became a head of state at the age of 17,”Mr Azad said. Mr Azad said that Dr Singh had been a Minister in the Central Governemt and had held high posts including India’s Ambassador to the United States.

Watch Farewell speech by Dr. Karan Singh:

In his brief speech, Karan Singh said Parliament has evolved in the last 50 years, but all changes have not been positive.

Stating that earlier both the Houses used to witness brilliant debates, Singh said now such ‘debates have become rare and disruptions have become more frequent’, and called upon the members to introspect.

As Karan Singh completed his speech, Naidu commented that hearing him was a ‘feast’

Watch also: Rajya Sabha MP Karan Singh Sings Folk Song