Poetic strokes in Parliament
AN acrimonious debate took place in Parliament recently on the Waqf Bill. It was poetry that provided some relief during the verbal duel. Presenting the Bill, Union minister Kiren Rijiju recited a shair: “Kisi ki baat koi badgumaan na samjhega, zameen ka dard kabhi aasmaan na samjhega.” He tried to convey the message that the Bill should not be viewed with prejudice or suspicion. Questioning the government’s intention, Rashtriya Janata Dal MP Manoj Jha said: “Aaj dono hi paksh aaye hain taiyariyon ke saath, hum gardanon ke saath hain, woh aariyon ke saath (Both sides have come prepared; we are here with our necks, they with their saws).
In the post-Independence years, parliamentary proceedings were limited to formal discussions. However, Urdu shayari, Hindi poems and lines from works in regional languages gradually began to enter parliamentary speeches. Atal Bihari Vajpayee, who was first elected to the Lok Sabha in 1957, often recited poems in his speeches. His verses like “Haar nahin manunga, raar nahin thanunga” (I will not accept defeat, I will not court conflict) echoed in Parliament.
Following in Vajpayee’s footsteps, Prime Minister Narendra Modi recited Nida Fazli’s shair last month: “Safar mein dhoop toh hogi, jo chal sako chalo...” (There will be the scorching sun during the journey, walk along if you can).
Parliament is not confined to legislative work; it is also a platform to showcase India’s cultural diversity. Sushma Swaraj used Sanskrit shlokas and Hindi poems to make her speeches more effective. Lalu Prasad Yadav chose rhyming couplets (tukbandi), proverbs (lokokti) and lines full of humour and satire.
To drive home his point, then PM Manmohan Singh took recourse to shayari. During the discussion in the Lok Sabha on the ‘cash for votes’ row in 2011, Sushma took a jibe at him: “Tu idhar-udhar ki na baat kar, yeh bata ki kaafila kyun luta, mujhe rahzanon se gila nahin, teri rahbari ka sawaal hai” (Don’t talk about this and that, tell me why the caravan was looted; I have no grievance with the robbers, it’s a question of your leadership).
In response, Manmohan said: “Maana ki teri deed ke kaabil nahin hoon main, tu mera shauk dekh, mera intezaar dekh” (Granted, I am not worthy of your attention, but behold my passion, behold my anticipation). His reply lightened the mood in the House, and even Sushma could not help smiling.
Of late, poet-turned-MP Imran Pratapgarhi has been presenting his views through shayari. During the Rajya Sabha debate on the Waqf Bill, he said: “Duniya mujhe hi qatil kahegi, mera hi khoon bahega, apne haathon se kafan bununga, phir bhi chain na aayega” (The world will call me the murderer, it will be my blood that flows; I will weave my own shroud with my hands, yet I will find no peace). So, the country can rest assured that the poetic strokes will continue to embellish parliamentary discussions.
