Cong reminds VP-elect of ‘impartiality’, cites S Radhakrishnan’s 1952 words

The Congress congratulated Vice President-elect C. P. Radhakrishnan but invoked Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan’s 1952 call for impartiality in the Rajya Sabha. It said the Opposition’s 40% vote share in the vice presidential polls reflected unity despite the BJP’s numerical victory.

New Delhi: The Congress on Wednesday extended best wishes to vice president-elect CP Radhakrishnan and recalled first vice president Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan’s words in the Rajya Sabha in 1952 that a democracy is likely to “degenerate into a tyranny if it does not allow the opposition groups to criticise fairly, freely, and frankly the policies of the government”.

The opposition party asserted that Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan practised what he preached, both in letter and spirit.

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Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh said, “While extending its best wishes to Shri C P Radhakrishnan, the newly-elected Vice President of India who will also be the Chairman of the Rajya Sabha, the Indian National Congress recalls the wise words of Dr Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, the very first Vice President and Chairman of the Rajya Sabha.”

“On the opening day of the Rajya Sabha on May 16, 1952, the very eminent philosopher-educationist-author-diplomat had said: ‘I belong to no party, and that means I belong to every party in this House. It shall be my endeavour to uphold the traditions, the highest traditions, of parliamentary democracy and act towards each party with fairness and impartiality with ill-will to none and goodwill to all….A democracy is likely to degenerate into a tyranny if it does not allow the opposition groups to criticise fairly, freely, and frankly the policies of the Government’,” Ramesh posted on X.

“Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan practised what he preached, both in letter and spirit,” he added.

NDA candidate C P Radhakrishnan was elected the next vice president of India as he bagged 452 votes against the opposition candidate B Sudershan Reddy’s 300, winning the contest with a bigger than expected margin.

After the results for the vice presidential polls were declared, the Congress on Tuesday had said the BJP’s “arithmetical” victory in the vice presidential election is both a “moral and political defeat” for the ruling party. It had asserted that the Opposition stood united in the election with “most respectable” performance.

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge had extended best wishes to Radhakrishnan on securing victory in the election, while also expressing sincere gratitude to Reddy for being the “united Opposition’s joint candidate” and for his spirited and principled fight.

Ramesh had asserted that the Opposition stood united for the vice presidential election. “Its performance has undeniably been most respectable. Its joint candidate Justice (retd) B Sudershan Reddy secured 40% of the vote. In 2022, the Opposition had received 26% of the vote in the vice presidential elections,” Ramesh had said on Tuesday.

“The BJP’s arithmetical victory is really both a moral and political defeat. The ideological battle continues undiminished,” Ramesh had said.