New Delhi: War of words between the then ruling Congress and opposition BJP often marred proceedings of 15th Lok Sabha during 2009-14 but poetic encounters involving the then prime minister Manmohan Singh and Sushma Swaraj enlivened the House and remain memorable for their humour and wit.
During a discussion in the 15th Lok Sabha, Singh looking at Swaraj, recited Mirza Ghalib’s famous couplet Hum ko un se vafa ki hai ummid, jo nahin jante vafa kya hai (We are expecting loyalty from those who do not know the meaning of the word)".
Swaraj responded saying if a couplet is not countered with another one then the debt remains. And then she cited Bashir Badr’s verse “Kuch toh majboorian rahee hongi, yun hee koi bewafa nahee hota (there must have been some compulsions, nobody becomes disloyal for no reason).”
She added another couplet addressed to the prime minister: “Tumhe wafa yaad nahi, humein jafa yaad nahi; Zindagi aur maut ke toh do hi tarane hein, ek tumhe yaad nahi, ek hamein yaad nahi (you don't remember my loyalty, I don’t remember your disloyalty, life has only two songs - one you don't remember, one I don't remember.)”
