Trinamool Congress (TMC) Rajya Sabha MP Derek O'Brien on Monday made outgoing Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu emotional after he narrated a story of the latter's mother's death in a tragic incident at the age of one.
Giving a farewell speech to Naidu, Derek O'Brien said, "Just after independence in undivided Andhra Pradesh, those who owned agricultural land, how did they show how well off they are? (Thorugh) the number of pairs of bullocks you own. So if you owned two pairs of bullocks you were quite well off."
"One such family owned eight pairs of bullocks. So good so far. But one day, one of these animals they went totally nutty and the bullock attacked the lady in the stomach. The lady was carrying a baby— a one-year-old boy. The lady was taken to the hospital and she passed away. The child lost his mother at the age of one. This is your story, sir, of your early loss," he added.
"And from that early loss, you have done whatever you have done which we can find in not only in Wikipedia entries but in a glorious career you had," the TMC MP further said.
Hearing this story, the outgoing VP got emotional.
Derek O'Brien then urged Naidu to write an autobiography and throw some light on certain issues such as the developments during the passage of three controversial farm laws in the Upper House in September 2020, when he was not in the chair, as well as on bills being passed without adequate Parliamentary scrutiny.
He also talked about Naidu's glorious journey and referred to speeches made by him in 2013, including those on fuel prices and phone-tapping.
"Sir, one day you will tell us in your autobiography.... On March 1, 2013, I remember one more speech of yours. You led the discussion, Mr (Arun) Jaitley was on that side and you made an intervention for about five to six minutes on phone-tapping," he said.
O'Brien later shared his speech on Twitter and said: "In March 2013 @MVenkaiahNaidu (then Oppn MP) led a discussion in RS on phone tapping. One day in his autobiography he may tell us who forced him to deny Oppn the right to discuss #Pegasus in #Parliament."
In another tweet, the TMC leader said: "In Sep 2013 @MVenkaiahNaidu made a passionate speech on petrol and diesel. One day he will tell us in his autobiography why from 2017...#PriceRise."
In his speech in the House, O'Brien also said Naidu used to stress that bills should be sent to parliamentary committees for scrutiny.
Noting that he was the only vice president who served four terms as a Rajya Sabha member and who has visited every Indian state, including those in the northeast, he said, "Sir, this we know but someday, you will give us the answers." Raising the issue of productivity in the House, the TMC member said if one looks at the number of bills passed, he was there, but there is another side to this argument.
"Sir, we would urge upon you because you have at least 20 more years to offer in public life and these are the thoughts we would urge on you. I say this because there is another school of thought which thinks.... And you have often advised us to send bills to committees. Why only six out of 10 or why only one out of 10 bills are going. You would say, 'Send bills, scrutinise these Bills'.
"So these are the issues, which I am sure you will address because I know, autobiography or no autobiography, you will speak your mind and guide us," O'Brien said.
(With PTI inputs)
