Both Lalu, mangoes are sweet: Speaker

New Delhi, Dec 19 (UNI) What is common between Railway Minister Lalu Prasad and mangoes? ''Both are sweet,'' according to Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee.

The Speaker made the remark after the Railway Minister entered the House towards the end of the question hour to a boisterous welcome from the treasury benches.

The arrival of Mr Lalu Prasad, who was acquitted by a CBI trial court in Patna yesterday in a disproportionate assets case, coincided with a reply on mangoes from Minister of State for Commerce and Industry Jairam Ramesh.

Mr Jairam Ramesh said Japan had lifted a decades-old ban on the import of mangoes from India and had agreed to buy six varieties, including chausa, langda and dussehri. Negotiations were also on with the US, Australia and New Zealand for export of mangoes.

At this, the House erupted in joy, making the Minister feel that his announcement was being received with thumping of the desk.

However, Mr Jairam Ramesh realised in seconds that the members' joy was not over mangoes, but over the arrival of Mr Lalu Prasad.

''I thought the applause was for mango exports,'' he exclaimed.

The witty Speaker interrupted, stating that ''mangoes and Laluji are both sweet,'' evoking another round of applause.

Mr Jairam Ramesh said Bihar would also benefit from his Ministry's initiative for mango exports.

The Centre would set up cold storage and back-house facilities in Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and other mango producing states for the export of the king of fruits, he said.

Home Minister Shivraj Patil and Commerce Minister Kamal Nath shook hands with Mr Lalu Prasad as he sat next to them on the front row. Mr Lalu Prasad was in Patna yesterday to appear before the court at the time of the verdict.

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