CPI-M leader Sitaram Yechury on Thursday said that if there are attempts to impose uniformity, whether religious, linguistic or cultural, on India’s diversity, “this country can never remain together, it will only implode”.

Replying to speeches to bid farewell to him and others who are retiring from the House on 18 August, Yechury said “It is only the syncretic evolution of India, we know today, that is our strength.” He said, “Our country can strengthen only when we strengthen the bonds of commonality that run through our diversity.”

Attempts to rupture the country’s unity through unnecessary issues must be fought as there were serious problems waiting to be resolved, he said. “Your farmers are committing suicides, which are growing. Your youth that is going around the country is feeling a sense ofinsecurity,” Yechury added.

“We are the youngest country in the world. If we can give our youth education, health and jobs, nobody can stop India from being the leader of knowledge-society in the world. We have that potential,” he said. “The unity of my country, the harmony of my society” was not negotiable, he added.

Yechury said he was overwhelmed by the references made to him during the farewell speeches by various leaders. His contribution to debates and submissions on various issues during his 12-year membership were fondly recalled by the leaders, including Leader of the House Arun Jaitley, who was student-contemporary of Yechury.

“I have seen him almost grow, with every passing day, within his organisation. I am delighted that he holds today the most important position within his party,” Jaitley said about the CPI-M general secretary. Jaitley said although he made unimplementable and idealistic suggestions, having never been in government, he had raised the level of each debate he had participated in, and others had to really measure up to the same standard. Ram Gopal Yadav of the Samajwadi Party, who sat next to Yechury, turned emotional as he ended his speech.

Along with Yechury, D Bandyopadhyay of Trinamul Congress and Dilipbhai Pandya of the BJP were also given farewell. Six other retiring members, including Ahmed Patel of the Congress, have been re-elected to the House.

Every speaker remembered former senior bureaucrat, Bandyopadhyay’s strict discipline in attending the House. Jaitley said Bandyopadhyay was a very eminent civil servant in his days and he had the opportunity of serving with him on one of the committees.

He was extremely impressed with the depth of his suggestions before the Lokpal Bill Select Committee.

Jaitley said Dilipbhai Pandya was most regular in attending the proceedings and the Committee meetings, and made his contribution to each one of them.

Leader of the Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad asked how anyone could talk of shutting down Rajya Sabha which had given the nation three Presidents and five Prime Ministers.

In his remarks, Deputy Chairman P J Kurien said, “Whether we are in Parliament or outside, the people of our country expect us to set high standards of public behaviour. Today, when the people have become more aware about their rights, they expect the parliamentary institutions to be responsible and responsive to their aspirations and grievances. We, therefore, have an onerous responsibility to strengthen the popular faith in our democratic institutions.”