PM Modi in Rajya Sabha: 'For the first time all top posts are held by those with humble beginnings'

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday pointed out that all top posts in India were currently being held by those who started with nothing and did not come from 'rich families'. 

Currently India's President is Ram Nath Kovind, who started as student leader, Vice President is Venkaiah Naidu, who worked his way up the political ladder, while the prime minister himself was a tea vendor when he started off. 

The statement came during his feciltation speech for the welcome of M Venkaiah Naidu as the Chairman of Rajya Sabha minutes after he took oath as Vice President of India. 

PM Modi's apparent jibe at the 'rich families' ruling Congress was met with a rebuttal by Ghulam Nabi Azad, who recounted the sacrifices of 'rich' yet dedicated social servants who belonged to leading Opposition party, including Jawahar Lal Nehru, Mahatma Gandhi and Sardar Patel. It does not matter if a person came from rich or poor family, but what matters is how much they sacrificed in service of the people, Azad said in Rajya Sabha.

Follow live updates on the oath taking ceremony and first day of M Venkaiah Naidu as new VP of India