As HRD Minister Arjun Singh started responding to the Vande Matram issue raised by BJP and Shiv Sena members in the Lok Sabha, Railway Minister Lalu Prasad Yadav, sitting beside Singh in the front row, began prompting him. The RJD leader did a lot of value addition, but he was much too loud. In fact, just a shade less than the HRD Minister himself. When Singh said a meeting of leaders had been called by the Prime Minister to discuss how to commemorate the anniversaries of the First War of Independence, Vande Matram etc, Lalu said (of course, for Arjun Singh’s benefit): “All-party meeting”. Lalu was loud enough to be heard by everyone, including the media. The HRD Minister repeated after him: “An all-party meeting”. Lalu then added: “Advaniji was also there”. Arjun Singh followed him: “Advaniji was also there”. Lalu went ahead and said: “Murli Manohar Joshiji too was there”. But, before Arjun Singh could repeat that, the entire House became astir. Even Congress president Sonia Gandhi was visibly amused. The protesting Opposition forced Lalu to halt his prompting. “I was a witness (to the committee decisions),” Lalu said, trying to rationalise his action.Wake-up callLalu drew the attention of the House for the second time soon after. Members were engrossed in a serious discussion on pesticide residues in carbonated drinks when JD(U) group leader Prabhunath Singh, spotting the Railway Minister in deep slumber, stood up to draw the Speaker’s attention. “Speaker Sir, arrangements should be made to send the Honourable Railway Minister to a bedroom.” The commotion woke Lalu up and he tried to argue with Prabhunath Singh. However, the JD(U) leader and his party colleague Rajiv Ranjan Singh Lallan, sitting behind him, could be seen enjoying Lalu’s discomfiture to the hilt.Sing-a-song demandAmidst the heat generated by the Vande Matram debate, an unusual demand came to the fore. Mohammad Salim of the CPI(M) challenged an agitated Chandrakant Khaire of the Shiv Sena to sing Vande Matram if he remembered it by heart. The challenge only provoked Khaire further. So, instead of accepting the challenge, he proceeded to engage in a verbal duel with Salim.Wild Life Bill gets RS nodIn a major step to check fast dwindling population of the national animal, the majestic Royal Bengal Tiger, the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday passed the Wild Life (protection) amendment Bill to pave the way for setting up a statutory national tiger conservation authority. The Bill was passed by voice vote amidst din with BJP members trooping to the well chanting vande mataram. They were not protesting against the wild life legislation, but were urging that countrymen should respect the national song.
