Vice President does not attend ceremonies to offer tributes to late leaders in Parliament: Rajya Sabha

The controversy arose as Jairam Ramesh questioned the absence of Om Birla, Naidu and senior ministers at the function

The Rajya Sabha Secretariat on Monday said the Vice President never attends ceremonies to offer tributes to late leaders organised in the Central Hall of Parliament following a controversy over the absence of M Venkaiah Naidu, also Rajya Sabha Chairman, during a function on the occasion of birth anniversary of former Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru.

In a statement, the Secretariat said, "it is hereby stated that the Vice President of India never attends such ceremonies organised in the Central Hall of Parliament as a matter of convention and it was misleading to suggest that Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu skipped the ceremony yesterday (Sunday)."

"The said misleading reports have caused deep distress to the Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu. Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu, who was out of Delhi yesterday, paid tributes to the former Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru," it said.

Birla was also out of Delhi and in Jaipur attending a function organised by Rajasthan Assembly. Lok Sabha officials said Birla had earlier attended functions at the Central Hall to honour Nehru.

The controversy arose as Congress Rajya Sabha Chief Whip Jairam Ramesh questioned the absence of Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, Naidu and senior ministers at the function.

"Extraordinary scene today in Parliament at the traditional function to mark the birth anniversary of those whose portraits adorn the Central Hall. Speaker Lok Sabha absent. Chairman Rajya Sabha absent. Not a single Minister was present. Can it get more atrocious than this?!" Ramesh tweeted.

Watch latest videos by DH here: