Rajya Sabha members also rose in their places and observed silence as a mark of respect. (File)
The Rajya Sabha on Friday paid rich tributes to its three members Ram Vilas Paswan, Ahmed Patel and Abhay Bharadwaj and 11 former members who died during the interregnum period from its last sitting.
Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu read out obituary references on the passing away of Paswan, Ahmed Patel and Bharadwaj, and former members Jaswant Singh, Syeda Anwara Taimur, Rasheed Masood, Keshubhai S Patel, Bhagirathi Majhi, Kailash Narain Sarang, Motilal Vora, Madhavsinh Solanki, Kamal Morarka, B S Gnanadesikan and Ramji Lal, besides renowned playback singer S P Balasubrahmanyam.
Paswan, who was Union minister of consumer affairs, food and public distribution, and passed away on October 8, 2020. He was aged 74.
"A versatile man, Shri Paswan had affable relations across party lines. He served as a Union Minister under several Prime Ministers and held wide ranging portfolios... In the passing away of Shri Ram Vilas Paswan, the country has lost an able administrator, a distinguished parliamentarian and a champion of the rights of the poor and the marginalised," Naidu said.
The Upper House which met at 3 PM, saw the tabling of the President's address to the joint sitting of both houses of Parliament and the Economic Survey.
The Chairman also announced that Biswajit Daimary and Jose K Mani, members representing states of Assam and Kerala, have sent letters stating that they are resigning from their seats in the Rajya Sabha. The letters have been accepted.
The House also expressed sorrow at the passing away of Amir of Kuwait Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmed Al-Jaber Al-Sabah and Prime Minister of Kingdom of Bahrain Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa.
The Rajya Sabha also paid tributes to 62 people who lost their lives in the tragic crash of Sriwijaya Air Flight SJ182 into the Java Sea on January 9, 2021 shortly after take off from Jakarta Airport.
The members also rose in their places and observed silence as a mark of respect to the memory of all the departed.
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