‘I’m proud of being a Hindustani Muslim, says Azad; PM Modi breaks down

Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha and senior Congress politician Ghulam Nabi Azad, whose Rajya Sabha term is ending this month, said, "I am a proud Indian Muslim. Muslims should be proud of this country but the majority community should take steps forward towards the minority."

The outgoing RS member whose term is coming to an end on February 15 said that contrary to Muslim societies across the world which are infested with infighting, Indian Muslims have lived together and should continue to do so.

"If any Muslim should feel proud in the world, it should be the Indian Muslim. Over the years, we have seen how Muslims countries from Afghanistan to Iraq getting destroyed. There are no Hindus or Christians there - they are fighting amongst themselves," he said in his farewell speech.

Earlier, Prime Minister Modi got emotional while bidding farewell to Azad and saluted him in the Rajya Sabha. The Prime Minister, while referring to Azad's contribution to politics and the House, said: "You are retiring from the House, but I will not let you retire and my doors are open for you and I will need your contribution and advice."

Modi said the person who will replace Azad will have a tough task to match his contributions.

Azad was elected to the Rajya Sabha from Jammu and Kashmir in 2015. But now that it has turned into a union territory, there's a possibility that Azad will have to leave his home state in order to come back to Rajya Sabha.