Bharatiya Janata Party leader Yaswhant Sinha on Tuesday took a dig at Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's Lokpal Bill debate speech in the Lok Sabha, calling it a “farewell speech.”
Mr. Sinha's observation during the debate on the Lokpal Bill in the Lower House was countered a few hours later by Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee who sarcastically told the Opposition BJP not to be impatient for power.
Mr. Sinha during the course of his speech referred to Dr. Singh's intervention and said he had listed the various achievements of his government as if it were his “farewell speech.”
Replying to the debate, Mr. Mukherjee strongly defended Dr. Singh and took a jibe at Mr. Sinha. “I am sorry I did not expect Mr. Yashwant Sinha to say it was a farewell speech. Why are you in a hurry to come to the Treasury Benches, Mr. Sinha? Why don't you wait for another two-and-a-half years more or two years and four months to occupy these [ruling] benches.” The present term of the Lok Sabha ends in mid-2014.
Mr. Sinha got up and sought to justify why he had described Dr. Singh's speech as a ‘farewell' one. He claimed that the buzz in the Central Hall of Parliament was that Dr. Singh was on his way out and that Mr. Mukherjee would be stepping into his shoes.
Mr. Mukherjee did not allow the matter to rest there and asked Mr. Sinha, “of all persons me?”
