Ghulam Nabi Azad Struggles to Hold Back Tears in RS as He Recounts 2007 Militant Attack in Farewell Speech

After twenty-eight years of service and powerful debates, Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha and Congress stalwart, Ghulam Nabi Azad, signed off from the Upper House in a poignant speech, leaving Parliamentarians emotional. Azad and Prime Minister Narendra Modi shared a rare passionate moment as the latter broke down while bidding adieu to the Congress leader, while recollecting a tragic incident of terrorism at a time when both the politicians were serving as Chief Ministers in the respective states – Jammu and Kashmir and Gujarat.

Following PM Modi’s farewell speech, Azad recalled the 2007 terrorist attack in Kashmir, when a grenade was lobbed at a bus carrying tourists from Gujarat, during his tenure as the Chief Minister of erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir. He emotionally spoke of how the families and children of the victims moved the former CM to tears. “I pray to God that militancy and terrorism end in this country,” Azad said.

In the archived video, a teary-eyed Azad can be seen comforting the pilgrims who lost their dear ones to the deadly terrorist attack. “You were supposed to return with fruits and dry fruits, but now you are having to go back home with the bodies of your children. I ask for your forgiveness,” Azad can be heard in the video.

Azad, whose term as Rajya Sabha member ends on February 15, has been a member of the upper house for 28 years. He was a member of Lok Sabha for 10 years and was Chief Minister of the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir for three years.

PM Modi, too, recalled the incident, heaping praises on his colleague Azad. “I will never forget Shri Azad’s efforts and Pranab Mukherjee’s efforts when people from Gujarat were stuck in Kashmir due to a terror attack. Ghulam Nabi was constantly following up, he sounded as concerned as if those stuck were his own family member, the Prime Minister said.

Remembering former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Azad said, “the Opposition could not keep fighting over issues. I learnt this former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee during his tenure as the leader of the opposition. The easiest working of the House was when Vajpayee was the LoP. People chose us to make rules for them. These rules would not pass if we keep arguing. I learned a lot from Atalji, how to break a deadlock, how to run the House.”

In his speech, Azad recalled his days in Srinagar’s SP College when there were more people to celebrate August 14 (Pakistan independence day) than those celebrating August 15. “I was among few who would celebrate India’s Independence Day. We used to stay away from college for days after the event fearing for ourselves,” he said.

The tall Congress leader said, “I am among those fortunate people who have never been to Pakistan. Looking at the state of affairs in Pakistan or even in other Muslim countries of the world, I think, every Muslim should feel proud that we are in India,” in his speech laced with Urdu couplets.

Quoting revolutionary Urdu poet poet Faiz Ahmad Faiz, he said, “Dil na-umeed to nahi, nakaam hi to hai, lambi hai gham ki shaam, magar shaam hi to hai (the heart may be hopeless but its not been unsuccessful, the evening is long, but will end).”

Earlier, the members bid adieu to the four members of the house from Jammu and Kashmir whose term is ending. Mir Mohammad Fayaz, Shamsher Singh, retiring on February 10, and Ghulam Nabi Azad and Nazir Ahmad Laway, retiring on February 15.

Azad, who started his career in Congress back in 1973, has served as the Parliamentary Affairs Minister in the government of former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh until October 27, 2005, when he was appointed as the Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir. He also led the Congress party successfully in the 2002 Assembly election in Jammu and Kashmir.

Azad was elected to the eighth Lok Sabha in 1984 and was a member (1990 – 1996) from Maharashtra in Rajya Sabha. He was elected to the Upper House from Jammu and Kashmir during the term of November 30, 1996 to November 29, 2002 and November 30, 2002 to November 29, 2008.

He resigned on April 29, 2006 as he became CM of erstwhile Jammu and Kashmir state on November 2, 2005.

The People’s Democratic Party, a coalition partner of the Indian National Congress in Jammu and Kashmir, withdrew its support for Azad’s government, and rather than attempt to sustain his government by requesting a vote of confidence, Azad resigned on July 7 2008, and later left office on July 11, 2008.

In June 2014, after the NDA won a majority in the Lok Sabha and formed the Union government, Azad was appointed as the leader of opposition in the Rajya Sabha, where Congress still held the majority.

In 2015, Azad got re-elected to the Rajya Sabha from Jammu and Kashmir, despite the PDP-BJP alliance holding a majority of seats in the Legislative Assembly.