New Delhi:
If an unusually aggressive Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had one Urdu couplet as he attacked the BJP in a long Vote of Thanks to the President's address in Parliament today, Leader of Opposition Sushma Swaraj's succinct reply was in two Urdu verses, equally scathing.
While accusing the BJP of making unwarranted attacks and using "choicest abuse" to belittle his government's achievements, the PM said, "
Humko hai unse wafa ki umeed, jo nahi jaante hain wafa kya hai (We hope for loyalty from those that do not know the meaning of the word)."
As he ripped into the main Opposition party, asserting that his government's performance on every measurable yardstick had been better that the BJP-led NDA government's that preceded his, Dr Singh also said that he would "not use the same language as the BJP."
After his speech, Ms Swaraj, smile on her face, stood up to say, "
Kuch toh majboorian rahee hongee, yun hee koi bewafa nahee hota, (There must have been some compulsion, one is not disloyal for no reason at all)."
And she added for good measure, "
Tumhe wafa yaad nahee, Humein jafa yaad nahee, Zindagi or maut ke toh do hee tarane hain, ek tumhein yaad nahee, ek humein yaad naheen (You don't remember loyalty, we don't remember disloyalty, life and death have two rhythms, you don't remember one, we don't remember the other)."
The Prime Minister was smiling too, as Ms Swaraj took him on.
BJP president Rajnath Singh, who is also a Lok Sabha MP, wrapped up the poetic session saying he had not seen the Prime Minister so aggressive in the last years and added, "
Main isko accha sanket maanta hoon kyunki mujhe lagta hai ki diya bujhne se pehle lau sabse tez jalta hai. Iska matlab hai ki aap ki sarkar bujhne wali hai. (I see it a as good sign because the flame burns the brightest just before it is about to die. The flame of your government is about to die)."