File photo of Home Minister Rajnath Singh
Home Minister Rajnath Singh - replying to a debate on his ministry's functioning in the Rajya Sabha today - spoke for over two hours straight, prompting the Congress's Satyavrat Chaturvedi to pledge that he would not ask the minister a question again.
Former Union minister Anand Sharma of the Congress was seen beseeching with folded hands that the minister curtail his reply, as Mr Singh painstakingly addressed every point raised by speakers during the eight-hour debate.
Deputy Chairman PJ Kurien asked Mr Singh a few times how much time he would take to reply. And Sitaram Yechury of the CPI-M observed that the government had indeed tested the patience of members. He called it a "good strategy" to "tackle" the Opposition.
Opposition members even pointed out that a member whose questions the minister was replying to at that moment was not present in the House. With ill-concealed gestures they conveyed to each other their impatience as the minister kept speaking.
Those in the treasury benches were spotted grinning at the Opposition's plight.
At the end of the Home Minister's long speech, Mr Kurien said, "the House compliments you for replying to every member's point."
Members were seen greeting each other as the House was adjourned for the day.