PM uses Urdu couplet to target Oppn for winter session washout

New Delhi, Feb 24 (PTI) Prime Minister Manmohan Singhtoday used an Urdu couplet to take a dig at the Opposition forwashing out the winter session of Parliament over JPC probeinto the 2G spectrum scam.

"Kuch aise bhi manzar hai tariq ki nazaro me, Lamho nekhataa ki thi, sadio ne sazaa paai hai (There are instances inhistory where a moment''s mistake has led to centuries ofsuffering)," he said, slamming the Opposition for stalling theParliament in the winter session which eventually led to itscomplete washout.

"During the last three months when Parliament was notallowed to function, I often felt that we were passing throughone such moment," Singh said in his reply to the debate onMotion of Thanks on President''s address to the Parliament.

It was a reminder of his days as Finance Minister in theNarasimha Rao government in early 1990s when recitation ofUrdu couplets was a regular feature in his budget speeches.

Singh also broke from his normal habit of reading out aprepared text and mostly spoke extempore during his one-hourspeech in both the Houses of Parliament.

Though he referred to the text once in a while, for mostpart of his reply he looked towards the opposition bencheswhile trying to clarify his position on inflation, 2G Spectrumallocation issue, Commonwealth Games and ISRO-Devas deal,among others.

In the Lok Sabha, there were several moments when theTreasury Benches led by UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi applaudedSingh while he explained to the House the nuances of theissues.

Though the Opposition may not agree with his arguments,it listened to Singh with rapt attention.

BJP MP Yashwant Sinha, however, intervened once when thePrime Minister said terror has no religion.

"Then ask your Home Minister why he used the term saffronterror," Sinha interrupted.

Towards the end of the speech, there was some commotionwhen BJP leader Rajnath Singh posed a question on Chineseactivity in Baltistan and Gilgit regions.

As Singh rose to answer Rajnath''s query, Speaker MeiraKumar adjourned the House as RSP member Prasanta KumarMajumdar fainted while the PM''s was winding up his speech.

The House was adjourned for 15 minutes. During theadjournment, the PM walked to the Opposition benches andchatted with Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha SushmaSwaraj and senior BJP leader L K Advani.

Mulayam Singh Yadav (SP) and Lalu Prasad (RJD) went toGandhi''s seat and were engaged in a conversation. Later RahulGandhi joined his mother and the two discussed some issueanimatedly till the House was convened again.