PM’s address in Parliament on the election of Shri Harivansh as Deputy Chairman of the Rajya Sabha
Speaker: Narendra Modi
Date: 09 Aug, 2018

Hon. Mr. Chairman, First of all, I congratulate the newly elected deputy chairman Shriman HarivanshJi on behalf the entire house and myself. It is a matter of happiness for all of us that today Arun Ji is also amongst us after the recovery. Today is the 9 th of August. The August Revolution was an important milestone in the freedom movement and Balia district had played an important role in that event. Balia had been at the forefront in the freedom struggle right from the war of independence of 1857 to sounding the bugle of August Revolution to sacrificing lives. Whether it was Mangal Pandey Ji or Chittu Pandey Ji or be it the tradition of Chandra ShekharJi, and HarivanshJi is also in that series. He was born in the village of Jay Prakash Ji and till date he has been attached to the village. And he has also been working as a trustee in the trust that was formed for implementing the dreams of Jay Prakash Ji. HarivanshJi belongs that tradition of Wordsmiths who have built a special recognition for themselves. And it is a matter of happiness for me that he had been a student in Banaras. He obtained education in Banaras. And he completed his M.A. in economics from Banaras only. And he was selected in the Reserve Bank. However, he did not opt for the Reserve Bank. But later he joined a nationalized bank because of the situation of his household. Mr. Chairman, You would be pleased to know that he worked in Hyderabad for two important years of his life. At times he had been to several places like Mumbai, Hyderabad and Delhi. However, he was never influenced by those glittering mega cities. He went to Calcutta to work in Ravivar newspaper. And all of us are aware that SP Singh was a stalwart, he was well known in the world of television. He worked with SP Singh. And as a trainee journalist he had worked with DharamvirBharati. He had started his life from there. He worked with DharmYug with a sense of attachment. He was a confidant of Chandra ShekharJi and every person has unique traits about the dignity and values of the office he holds. He had all the information because of the kind of office he was holding in Chandra ShekharJi’steam. He had advance information that Chandra ShekharJi was about to tender his resignation. He himself was associated with a newspaper. He was attached to the world of journalism. However, he never let his own newspaper get an idea of it that Chandra ShekharJi was about to resign. While maintaining the dignity of his office he kept that secret to himself. He did not allow the news to be published in his own newspaper so that the newspaper can win praise. HarivanshJi joined Ravivar newspaper in Bihar. At that time it was undivided Bihar, Jharkhand was formed later. He went to Ranchi to join PrabhatKhabar. And the circulation of news paper of just 400 copies when he had joined it. The person who had several opportunities in life, there were avenues if he had gone to the banking sector. However, he was a talented person and he dedicated himself to a newspaper with a circulation of just 400 copies. His four decade long journalistic career reflects powerful journalism and that journalism was attached to the society’s cause. It was not for those in power. And I believe thatthe biggest factor behind the election of HarivanshJi would be that he was associated with the journalism oriented towards the cause of the society and he stayed away from the journalism oriented towards ruling class. He had been running the newspaper as a public movement. When Param Veer gallantry award winner Albert Ekka attained martyrdom for the country then a news was published in a newspaper that his wife was leading a life of penury and deprivation. It was twenty years ago. HarivanshJi took the responsibility. He collected money from people. He collected four lakh rupees and gave it the widow of the martyr. Once,Naxals had kidnapped a respected person. HarivanshJi, whatever sources he had through his newspaper, on the basis of those sources, he courageously went to the Naxal area. He reasoned with them and secured the release of the person. He risked his life. So he is a personality who is well read and who has also written a lot of books. And I believe that it would have been easier to run a newspaper and supervise journalists. It’s a different experience when one is oriented toward the cause of the society and social work. And the experience with the ruling class is different. You have shown the example of a successful tenure as a member of parliament to everyone. However, most of the time the situation of the house is like this that umpires are in more trouble than the players. Therefore, it is a huge task, it is a challenging task to compel everyone to play by the rules. However, HarivanshJi will certainly be able to do this thing. HarivanshJi’s wife Shrimati Asha Ji, she is from Champaran. So in a way the entire family is connected to JP, connected to Gandhi Ji in some way or the other. And she herself is a M.A. in political science so heracademic knowledge will be now more helpful to you. I am confident that now this thing will become a mantra in the house that all of us members of the parliament will have the grace of God (Hari). Now everyone will be banking on Hari (HarivanshJi). And I am confident that all of us, be from this side or that side, all the MPs will have your support. It was such an election in whichthere were candidates with ‘Hari’ name on either side. One candidate has a prefix of BK before his name: BK Hari. He has no such prefix or suffix of BK or VK. However, I would also like to congratulate BK Hari Prasad Ji for fulfilling his responsibility for the dignity of democracy. And everyone was saying this thing that they knew the result but decided to participate in the process. So a lot of new people would have received the training for casting votes. And I would like to thank all the dignitaries, all the honorable members for taking forward this entire process in a very good manner and also to the deputy chairman. And I am confident that his experience, his dedication to the social cause.And it has been an unique thing about HarivanshJi, he had started a column in his news paper: ‘What kind of MP should we have?’ And at that time he did not know that one day he would become MP. But he had run a massive campaign that what kind of MPs we should have. I know that he has gotten a huge opportunity to realise his dreams and also the training that all of us MPs will receive from him. And DashrathManjhi, today, who has been discussed about a lot in India, very few people would be aware that if there was someone who had for the first time searched and published the story of DashrathManjhi then it was HarivanshBabu. So today we are going to be guided by the gentleman manwho has always been attached to the people at the bottom of the society. I heartily congratulate him and convey my best wishes.