Hyderabad: The Telangana Legislature on Monday paid rich tributes to former President, Pranab Mukherjee, who passed away last week.
Both the Assembly and the Council adopted condolence resolutions and recalled the role played by the late leader in formation of thee Telangana state.
As soon as the Assembly met for the session, Chief Minister K. Chandrashekhar Rao moved the condolence motion which read: “This House places on record its deep sense of sorrow at the demise of Pranab Mukherjee, former President of India and conveys sympathy to the members of the bereaved family.”
The resolution was later passed unanimously after members, cutting across the party lines, paid rich tributes to the departed leader, and recalled his services to the nation and the role he played in the formation of Telangana.
The Chief Minister, while moving the resolution, said with the death of Mukherjee, the country has a towering personality, and recalled that he played a key role in the development of the nation in various capacities after the 1970s.
“Born in a small village in West Bengal, he used to swim across a stream to reach his school. He was a man of all seasons and held different ministries with ease and will always be remembered for the yeomen services he rendered to the nation,” he said.
Rao also recalled that Pranab Da, as the former President was fondly called, was awarded as one of the top five Finance Ministers of the world and he had experience in dealing with the World Bank, the Asian Development Bank and the International Monetary Fund.
KCR, as the Chief Minister is popularly known, also said Mukherjee’s role in coalition politics would always be remembered as he used to hold talks with leaders of different parties and was successful in carrying together all the constituents and solving complicated problems.
The Chief Minister said Mukherjee might have differed with others on issues but he never personally criticised any one.
KCR recalled that when the then United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government formed a committee to elicit opinion of all parties on Telangana issue, Mukherjee was chosen to head it. “He guided the then leadership at the Centre over the Telangana issue and later as the President of India signed the Telangana bill,” he said.
Agriculture Minister S. Niranjan Reddy, Health Minister E. Rajender, Endowments Minister Indrakaran Reddy, Energy Minister G. Jagadish Reddy, All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) leader Syed Ahmad Pasha Quadri, Congress Legislature Party leader Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka and others also paid tributes to Mukherjee.
In the Legislative Council, Home Minister Mohammed Mehmood Ali moved the condolence motion. He said the country lost a great leader. Members of ruling and opposition parties paid their tributes.
The Assembly also unanimously adopted a condolence motion remembering the services of Dubbaka MLA Solipeta Ramalinga Reddy, who passed away recently.
The Chief Minister moved the condolence motion and recalled services of Ramalinga Reddy in the Telangana movement.
Industry Minister K.T. Rama Rao and other members of ruling Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) and opposition parties also spoke on the condolence motion.
After adopting the condolence motions, the Assembly was adjourned for the day.