Old Video Of Sushma Swaraj And Dr. Manmohan Singh Exchanging Poetic Banter In 1996 Parliament, Watch

BJP MP Bansuri Swaraj paid floral tributes to her mother, former Union Minister Sushma Swaraj, on her death anniversary. Delhi BJP President Virendra Sachdeva, Member of Parliament Yogender Chandoliya, and other senior BJP leaders joined the tribute ceremony. They remembered Sushma Swaraj’s contributions to Indian politics, especially her tenure as External Affairs Minister and as Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha.

Party workers and supporters gathered to honour her legacy at the memorial event in Delhi, where leaders shared their memories of her impactful public service and parliamentary leadership.

Here’s a throwback video, of a poetic debate in the parliament between late Dr. Manmohan Singh and late Sushma Swaraj. 

During the 15th Lok Sabha (2009–2014), he found an engaging poetic counterpart in Sushma Swaraj, then Leader of the Opposition. Their exchanges, filled with Urdu couplets, created memorable moments in Parliament when debate blended with humour and respect, drawing applause from both treasury and opposition benches.

In March 2011, Parliament erupted after a Wikileaks cable claimed that the Congress party bribed MPs during the 2008 trust vote. Leading the Opposition’s charge, Sushma Swaraj addressed the issue using a famous sher by poet Shahab Jafari:
“Tu idhar udhar ki na baat kar, yeh bata ki kafila kyun luta, humein rahjano se gila nahi, teri rahbari ka sawal hai.”
The sher challenged the leadership of the ruling party, saying: “Don’t change the topic, just say why the caravan was looted. We don’t blame the robbers, but your leadership is in question.”

In response to Sushma Swaraj’s pointed poetry, Dr. Manmohan Singh quoted Allama Iqbal, saying:
“Mana ki teri did ke kaabil nahin hoon main, tu mera shauq dekh mera intezar dekh.”
The line translates to: “I know I am not worth your attention, but look at my longing and wait for you.”
This poetic exchange brought smiles across the House and showcased the tone of parliamentary engagement at the time, where wit and verse often replaced hostility and personal attacks.

In 2013, during the Motion of Thanks to the President’s Address, Dr. Singh once again used poetry to respond to criticism. He quoted Mirza Ghalib, saying:
“Humein unse hai wafa ki ummeed jo nahin jante wafa kya hai.”
Sushma Swaraj replied with Bashir Badr’s lines:
“Kuch to majburiyaan rahi hongi, yun hi koi bewafa nahin hota.”
She followed it with another sher:
“Tumhe wafa yaad nahi, Humein jafa yaad nahi, zindagi aur maut ke toh do hi tarane hain, ek tumhein yaad nahi, ek humein yaad nahi.”
This respectful exchange of verse became a highlight of parliamentary culture during that period.

After Sushma Swaraj’s sudden demise in August 2019, Dr. Manmohan Singh offered a heartfelt tribute. He said,
“I was shocked to hear about the sudden demise of Sushma Swaraj. I have fond memories of my association with her when she was Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha. She was a great parliamentarian and an exceptionally talented Union minister.”
With the passing of both leaders, many remember their parliamentary exchanges not just as political sparring, but as dignified, poetic moments in India’s legislative history.