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On the extreme edge of governance was Venkaiah Naidu, who gradually rose up to prominent positions. His stands in political controversies attracted many critics and rejection of him in powerful positions!
Born on 1st July 1949
Exactly seventy-two years from today, a young cry was heard in a small village in India. When children are born, parents often predict their future from the first impression of the child in this world. This boy's future from his cry must have been predicted as a person who people will stand to hear to. With prospects of a great future, he was named Venkaiah Naidu, the Lord!
From the school time itself, he was a great orator. To give a better direction to his skill and to use it for the benefit of others he joined the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangha at a young age and from there went on to become a volunteer of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarathi Parishad.
His voice kept on becoming significant with time. He used it in the Jai Andhra Movement. This participation in active politics brought Naidu into the limelight.
Venkaiah had a distinct way of making a protest or campaign successful. He took it to the streets and gathered the common people making sure that the information of the protest reaches every person. His movement against Emergency was one in which the masses participated!
Little did anyone know that the young cry would become so loud one day that it will be like a major planet of the solar system. Already in the spotlight, he became people's favourite when he started representing the issues of the farmers and raised a call for the development of the backward areas of the country.
Naidu understood the people, their problems and people loved him in return. Then what? Elections were next. He stood on the pedestal and asked for people to vote for him and people voted for him.
Young Venkaiah Naidu became MLA twice from Andhra Assembly. Slowly, he moved up the ladder and with every election went on a superior administrative position, finally making a landing in Rajya Sabha.
When in 1999, NDA topped the election exam, Venkaiah found himself in charge of the rural areas of India. Once in power, he used it to launch many schemes for rural development and for the upliftment of the lower classes that people saw in awe their leader leading the rural areas of the country.
The cherry on the cake and real power came in the hands of our protagonist when he became the President of BJP by popular vote at the beginning of the 21st century. But to gain bigger things in life, you often have to empty your hands from the things you have been previously holding on to. Venkaiah left behind BJP to stand for the elections of Indian Vice President, which he of course won. He defeated Gopalkrishna Gandhi, Gandhi's grandson to reach that position.
Venkaiah Naidu, the 13th Vice-President of India was awarded the Commander of the Order of the Green Crescent of Comoros.
With so many prominent positions in his bag, it should come as no surprise that he was also involved in controversies. When one MLA chanted a slogan on Chhatrapati Shivaji after taking his oath in the Parliament, a cry went loud - "It is not a house it is my chamber. Nothing is going on record, only the oath. No other slogans are allowed in the House, keep that in mind for future guidance.” This voice was of Naidu!
Naidu's remark was considered disrespectful by many. While others joined him in protest and some twenty lakh letters were submitted to him to show support.
His controversies sparked to interest when the blue tick was removed from his Twitter handle. He was not considered official any more by the social media website. In the fear of escalation of discontentment, the tick was put back but once the white becomes blue there is no going back.
Amidst controversies, Venkaiah Naidu has become a prominent person in Indian politics and as time goes by, maybe we will listen more of his interesting involvement in standing towards what he considers right, no matter the things at stake!
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