NEW DELHI: The Lok Sabha witnessed an amusing exchange between Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav on Wednesday during a debate on the Waqf Amendment Bill. The discussion took a lighthearted turn when Yadav took a jibe at the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) over its ongoing process of selecting a new national president.
While speaking on the bill—introduced by Union Minister Kiren Rijiju—Yadav remarked, “The minister said it [the Bill] is ‘umeed’ (hope). In [the statements made in] both Hindi and English, I could not understand how this Bill became a hope.” He was referring to the government's decision to rename the Waqf Bill as the Unified Waqf Management Empowerment, Efficiency and Development (UMEED) Bill.
Yadav then took a swipe at the BJP, stating, “There is a competition within the BJP right now to find out who is the worse Hindu. I am not saying this just like that. The party that claims to be the biggest party has not even been able to choose its own national president yet.” His remark prompted objections from some NDA MPs. However, the House camera captured Amit Shah laughing and gesturing for his party members to remain patient and refrain from interrupting.
As Yadav himself broke into laughter, Amit Shah stood up and responded with a smile, saying, “Haste haste kaha hai, iska haste haste jawab dunga” (He has said this smiling, so I will also reply in the same manner).
Shah then countered Yadav’s jibe, stating, “All the parties sitting here—only five members of a family have to choose their president. We [BJP], on the other hand, have to follow a due process... 12-13 crore members will choose our president, so obviously, there will be a delay.” He then added with a quip, “There’s never a delay in your case. I say this to you—you will remain president for the next 25 years.”
In response, Yadav indirectly referenced Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent visit to the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) headquarters in Nagpur, remarking, “The trip that was taken today, was it the one to seek an extension of age 75?” His comment alluded to the widely speculated—but officially denied—BJP rule that leaders must retire at the age of 75.
The exchange, though pointed, was received with laughter across the House, adding a moment of levity to the parliamentary proceedings.
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