Date:23/12/2004 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2004/12/23/stories/2004122313931200.htm

National

Humour breaks the ice

By Our Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI, DEC. 22. After Bihar, Punjab politics disrupted proceedings in the Lok Sabha today. And, it generated as much heat on a day that saw members across the floor enjoy a joke in a spirit of camaraderie that has eluded the 14th Lok Sabha all this while. What made the brief moment of humour all the more remarkable was the fact that it involved members of two parties that have been at loggerheads from day one — the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD).

As the BJP member, Chandra Mani Tripathi, put a supplementary question to the Health Minister, Anbumani Ramadoss, on obesity-control medicines in circulation, the portly RJD member, Raghunath Jha, immediately quipped: "kahan milte hain, bhai [where do you get them]."

Not one to let a chance to take a dig at a colleague go by, Mr. Tripathi shot back in all seriousness: "These medicines have side-effects. They are known to cause heart and mental disorders, and you have already lost your mental balance."

Knowing only too well that the smallest of provocations could trigger a row, the Speaker, Somnath Chatterjee, quickly stepped in saying: "You must be saying this in good humour." With the entire House having a hearty laugh at Mr. Jha's expense, Mr. Tripathi informed members that both were old friends; a fact borne out by the RJD member's indulgence.

Pleased to see some humour in an otherwise bitterly divided House, Mr. Chatterjee stated as much and chipped in when moments later Mr. Ramadoss chose the Communications and Information Technology Minister, Dayanidhi Maran, to elaborate on a medical point.

"Why have you selected a young member like Mr. Maran. You should have picked on an old person like me," he said triggering peals of laughter.

But as soon as question hour was wrapped up, the House was back to business with Opposition members from Punjab vociferously demanding an enquiry by the Centre into allegations of money laundering against the son of the Punjab Chief Minister, and Congress members countering it.