New Delhi: After an emphatic win, former Union minister M Venkaiah Naidu on Friday took oath as the 13th Vice President of India. He succeeds Hamid Ansari who held office for a decade.
Naidu (68) was administered the oath of office by President Ram Nath Kovind at a function at Rashtrapati Bhavan here around 11.30 am in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, several Union ministers as well as Opposition leaders.
Prior to the formal function, Naidu paid tributes to Mahatma Gandhi at Raj Ghat, Jan Sangh leader Deendayal Upadhyaya and Sardar Vallabhai Patel.
A day before replacing Ansari as chairman of Rajya Sabha, Naidu had challenged the outgoing vice-president’s views on the state of minorities in India. In his last interview, Ansari said the Muslims of the country were feeling uneasy and insecure. Naidu was quick to dismiss the opinion by saying that India is the most tolerant country in the world.
Naidu had won 67.9 per cent vote share, the highest in 30 years, in the Vice Presidential election, defeating opposition’s candidate, Gopalkrishna Gandhi.
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