Delhi confidential: Back and forth

With Kharge interrupting Naidu during his address, Naidu reminded Kharge that during his turn, he had spoken for 72 minutes, which was “almost equivalent to your age”.

Indian Congress party member of Parliament Mallikarjun Kharge, right, talks to Bharatiya Janata Party leader and parliamentary affairs minister Venkaiah Naidu, left, at the central hall of Indian parliament house, in New Delhi. (Source: AP)

Back and forth

The discussion on Babasaheb Ambedkar and the Constitution in Lok Sabha witnessed interesting repartee between Parliamentary Affairs Minister Venkaiah Naidu and Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge. With Kharge interrupting Naidu during his address, Naidu reminded Kharge that during his turn, he had spoken for 72 minutes, which was “almost equivalent to your age”. As the House burst into laughter, Kharge got up to point out that he could speak for so long because he was extended that courtesy by the Speaker. “If you would have been there, you would not have allowed me even two minutes,” Kharge shot back. After a while, as Naidu’s address went on, Kharge once again found a chance to get even by pointing out that even the Parliamentary Affairs Minister had now spoken five minutes more than his age. At one point, when Kharge asked Naidu what his contribution was to the drafting of the Constitution, Naidu responded: “Yes, I was nowhere. I was in my mother’s womb. You were in the Constituent Assembly at that time drafting along with Ambedkarji. I was in my mother’s womb. What can I do? I was not born then.”

Run for OROP

Unhappy with the One Rank One Pension (OROP) notification, ex-servicemen plan to target the Delhi marathon Sunday. The United Front of Ex-Servicemen (UFESM) has appealed to defence veterans to participate in the half marathon in large numbers. Interestingly, veterans have been given or have bought OROP T-shirts and will participate in the marathon displaying OROP slogans.

Tense moments

There was a hint of tension when HRD Minister Smriti Irani attempted to intervene during JD(U) leader Sharad Yadav’s speech in the discussion on the Constitution. When Irani tried to tell Yadav that secretaries are “secretaries to the country”, Yadav replied,”Yes, yes, I know you are a very smart, please sit down.” The two had some heated exchanges in the Budget session over Yadav’s comments about women’s complexion.

Long line

The political rivalry between the two parties in West Bengal spilled into Rajya Sabha on Friday as TMC’s Derek O’Brien protested against vice-chairman P J Kurien’s attempt to call CPM’s Sitaram Yechury ahead of the Trinamool during the discussion on the Constitution. Yechury had requested an early slot and while JD(U)’s Sharad Yadav was willing to accommodate him, the TMC was not. So, TMC’s Sukhendu Sekhar Roy, Yadav and AIADMK’s Navaneethakrishnan spoke before Yechury.

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