The Hindu : National : One-liners, digs all the way

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Jul 07, 2004

National

National

One-liners, digs all the way

NEW DELHI, JULY 6. Wit, banter and occasional digs at the absence of the Opposition marked the Railway Minister, Lalu Prasad's Railway Budget presentation today.

Throughout the one hour and 50 minute presentation in Hindi, Mr. Prasad repeatedly drew applause and cheers as he added his trademark punch lines while announcing several welfare measures and passenger amenities.

In a show of camaraderie with the Lok Janshakti Party chief, Ram Vilas Paswan, who was a Railway Minister, Mr. Prasad, asked him to help open the box in which he had kept his spectacles before reading out the Budget.

"Sattu abhi naheen (gram dust — a popular food in Bihar, will not be made available now)," he declared, responding to suggestions from members that he announce plans to serve "mattha" and "lassi" at the catering outlets.

Mr. Prasad advised the National Democratic Alliance to "bow before Sonia Gandhi" instead of boycotting and hit out at the BJP leader, Maneka Gandhi, for her criticism that the "kulhars" (earthen cups) introduced by him would lead to soil erosion.

"Why don't they talk about the pollution caused by chimneys... my best wishes to her," he said, evoking laughter from the treasury benches.

On the Opposition boycott, Mr. Prasad said: "They should not draw salary for boycotting the House. They have been sent to the roads (in the polls). They should go there so that we can rule."

Referring to the presence of the bookseller chain A.H. Wheeler and Co. at railway stations across the country, he asked: "Why Wheeler bookstall everywhere. The English have left this country long back."

The Minister evoked laughter when he referred in English to the Jamalpur Workshop of the Railways as the "grandfather of all factories."

Announcing a 75 per cent concession in the second and sleeper class to widows of Defence personnel killed in action against terrorists, he charged the previous government with not paying attention to them.

As members pointed out that many of Mr. Prasad's proposals of a survey of the new lines had been "surveyed," the Speaker, Somnath Chatterjee, interrupted saying, "this is for updating the surveys. Don't derail the Minister."

The House witnessed some hilarious moments when Mr. Prasad did not pronounce properly the names of places, particularly of south India. When the Power Minister, P.M. Sayeed, tried to correct him, Mr. Prasad said: "It is written in English, you may read it."

On seeing that the members were getting uneasy over his tedious address, Mr. Prasad said: "We are working so much and you say, I work only for Bihar."

Mr. Prasad twice urged the Samajwadi Party members to "speak up openly. People from Uttar Pradesh are talking less these days."

Much to the amusement of the members, the Minister gave credit for introducing an "environment-friendly toilet system" to the "guidance of Sonia Gandhi and leadership of Manmohan Singh."

The Minister received the loudest cheers when he announced that there would be no increase in either passenger fares or freight rates.

"If we increase the freight rates, the goods will move through the roads and the condition of roads would become worse. We don't want to burden the people of the country," Mr. Prasad said. — PTI

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