September 14, 2020
Derek O’Brien, on behalf of Trinamool, congratulates Deputy Chairman of Rajya Sabha on his re-election
On behalf of my party and everyone else here, congratulations and a very warm welcome. Aaj to Hindi Diwas hain, aar aaj shubh din hain, aap ek mahaan patrakar bhi hain, so this is a good day you have got re-elected as the Deputy Chairman.
Harivanshji and I have a long history of being neighbours. Today he is sitting on a temporary seat and I’m also on a temporary seat, and again we are neighbours. He comes from Bihar; I come from Bengal so again we are neighbours. He started his career as a journalist in Ravivar, I started my career in the next room from the same publication group, so we were neighbours from then, even though he is much senior to me.
Harivansh Ji, we wish you well. You are one of those unique people who have had the opportunity and experience to be in the two important pillars of the four pillars of a democracy, the media and Parliament. So we made a speech like this in August two years ago when you were elected and I would just like to repeat what I said then, that the media and Parliament are two important pillars in democracy and I wish you well, that you will do all it takes to protect these two important pillars.
Good health, happiness to you and everyone else in your family.
