Known for his humbleness, the Rajya Sabha Chairman gave yet another suggestion that earmarks his simplicity. The Janata Dal-United (JD-U) member Harvansh was laying papers during the Zero Hour on Tuesday. M Venkaiah Naidu then took to urge the members not to address the Chair as “His Excellency.” He instead asked for using “Honourable Chairman” or “Vice President” as the regular salutations.
The ex-officio Chairman told all the members of Rajya Sabha the dual responsibilities as Chairman and the Vice President of India. Furthermore, he said that he finds it embarrassing when addressed as Vice President ‘His Excellency’.
He, therefore, requested the members,
“I would request and suggest all the members and even others that they should address the Chair as ‘Honourable Chairman’ or ‘Vice President’.”
“There is no need to use such phrases in future,” he added.
In the past
This isn’t the first time that Naidu has asked to shun the portrayal of colonialism. In the past, he had in the winter session asked the members to stop saying: “I beg to…” before laying papers on the table.
He said, normally ministers say: “I beg to lay on the table of the House papers listed under my name”.
Shunning the colonial lexicon, Naidu asked the ministers and other members of the House to do away with such practices.
“Just say, I rise to lay papers or simply, I lay the papers on the table of the House,” Naidu had said.