MPs Turn To Shakespeare, Tagore, Rumi As They Debate No-Trust Motion

From Indian poet and philosopher Thiruvalluvar to English great William Shakespeare, Lok Sabha members quoted extensively from literature to put their arguments across as they raised the Manipur issue during a debate on the no-confidence motion against the government over the past two days.

While Shakespeare's Julius Caesar was invoked the most, the members also cited English poets Joha Donne and John Milton's works to buttress their points.

"Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere," said Congress's Gaurav Gogoi, quoting American activist Martin Luther King.

Back as MP after months of being disqualified, Rahul Gandhi invoked 13th-century Persian poet Rumi to say that he would speak not from his mind but from his heart.

"My BJP friends," he said, "You need not be afraid because my speech today will not be focussed on us. Rumi said, 'Jo shabd dil se aate hain woh shabd dil mein jaate hain (words spoken from the heart reach the heart)'," he said.

Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam's TR Baalu quoted from Tamil classic Thirukkural which when translated meant, "He who defies righteous order, oversteps limit and enjoys self-aggrandisement gets lost first." The DMK leader in his remarks also invoked Lord Krishna and his teachings. "Lord Krishna advised that you are not killing your friends but evil... I am doing the same. There was no other way but to bring a no-confidence motion to get the presence of the Prime Minister in the House," he said.

Trinamool Congress MP Saugata Ray, a former physics professor, quoted from Shakespeare's Julius Caeser, Rabindranath Tagore, and even metaphysical poet John Donne in his scathing attack on the government.

"But as Brutus said in Julius Caesar, 'Not that I love Modi less, but I love India more'," he said.

In Bengali, he recited one of Rabindranath Tagore's most heartfelt songs which when translated meant: "I shall not fear and I shall not die twice before dying actually." During his speech, the veteran leader also said he would like to remind the House of what Mark Antony said in Shakespeare's Julius Caesar.

"I will paraphrase it and say, 'You blocks, you stones, you worse than senseless things! O You hard hearts, cruel men of BJP.' You have no compassion. That is why, you have not gone to Manipur as all the Opposition parties have gone," he said, calling the central government "heartless". 

He then went on to quote English poet Donne as he was quoted in Ernest Hemingway. "Each man's death diminishes me, For I am involved in mankind. Therefore, ask me not For whom the bell tolls, It tolls for thee." 

NCP leader Supriya Sule too made use of literary works to explain her stand on the Manipur issue.

"In the epic poem, 'Paradise Lost' by John Milton, the character of Satan displays hubris when he attempts to rebel against God's rule in Heaven, he eventually declares that it is better to reign in Hell than serve in Heaven," she said.

Quoting American economist Milton Friedman's emphasis on evaluating policies on the basis of outcomes rather than the intention, Sule said she did not intend to take away from the intention of the government but underlined that it was the outcomes that she had a problem with.

With the Opposition members taking digs at the government using literary aids, BJP MP Heena Gavit too chipped in by quoting Swami Vivekananda, encouraging her partymen to rise and achieve their goals.

"Arise, awake and stop not till the goal is achieved," she said.