Reflection of my 18-year tenure in Upper House, says Dr Darda

 Media Coverage  |  04-04-2025

New Delhi

Chairman of editorial board of Lokmat Media Group and former member of Rajya Sabha Dr Vijay Darda, delivered a heartfelt and candid address at the launch of his latest book, ‘The Churn’, during a ceremony held at the India International Centre here on Thursday evening.

“This book distills the churning witnessed during my 18-year term in Parliament. I tried to perform my duties as a parliamentarian by keeping the common man at the centre of my concerns. Often, I did this by going beyond the party line; by being truthful and by following propriety,” he said.

During his address, Dr. Darda noted that, in an 18-year term in the Upper House, he introduced 34 private member Bills, 6 private member resolutions, 64 special references and asked 2255 questions. “In response to these questions, the government gave 143 assurances implying that the government did not have answers in the appropriate time frame. Additionally, almost every year, I would share my thoughts on the budget and the president’s speech,” he recollected.

The author of multiple books on Indian politics, current affairs and social issues reflected upon his long experience in parliamentary politics by using poetry and at other times like a seasoned storyteller.

Recalling the beginning of his journey into parliamentary politics, Dr Darda termed it as “thrilling”. He narrated the incident as an engaging story: “Once, Balasaheb Thackeray offered to support my candidature for the Rajya Sabha. I refused the offer in an extremely polite manner. After that, I received an offer from the BJP. But I did not accept that either.

I wanted to join the Parliament from the Congress party but it had made R D Pradhan as its candidate. As a result, I filed my nomination as an independent candidate and was victorious in the first round. Pradhan ji lost. The independent candidates during that time emerged victorious after multiple rounds.”

At one point during the speech, Dr Darda recalled Sahir’s words, “Duniya Ke Tajarbat O Hawadis ki Shaql Main, Jo Kuch Mujhe Diya Hain Woh Lauta Raha Hun Main (Whatever the world has given me in the form of experiences and happenings, I am giving back to the world).”

Dr Darda said, he raised various issues concerning Vidarbha, Yavatmal, Nagpur, and Maharashtra, including public health, education, unemployment, poverty, social problems, women’s rights, Naxalism, and farmers’ suicides. He also advocated for establishing a Supreme Court bench in Nagpur.

He said, during his tenure as an MP, he had the privilege of working closely with illustrious leaders like former Prime Ministers Atal Behari Vajpayee, Dr Manmohan Singh, senior BJP leader Lal Krishna Advani, former president Pranab Mukherjee and many others.

Dr Darda said that the chief guest for the book launch ceremony, Union minister of state for law & justice (independent charge) and parliamentary affairs Arjun Ram Meghwal and member of Parliament and eminent jurist Kapil Sibal, member of Parliament Dr Nishikant Dubey, member Parliament Bansuri Swaraj could not make it to the event because of a whip was issued to the parliamentarians to be present for the Waqf Amendment Bill related discussions in Parliament.

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