'Maana Ki Teri Deed Ke Qabil...' When Manmohan Singh's Urdu Mastery Took On BJP's Sushma Swaraj In A Poetic Duel - Watch
Date
12/27/2024 12:00:46 AM
(MENAFN- Live Mint) Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh passed away on December 26 in New Delhi. Singh was 92.
Singh retired from Rajya Sabha in April 2024, after serving 33 years in the Parliament . Singh is often credited for opening the Indian Economy to global competition. Singh was Prime Minister of the Congress-led UPA government for two terms between 2004 and 2014.
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While Manmohan Singh could speak Hindi and English fluently, his speeches were written in Urdu due to his proficiency in the language. More often than not, Singh was seen citing Urdu couplets to defend himself or target opposition.
Manmohan Singh served as Prime Minister for two terms between 2004 and 2014. As the leader of opposition in Lok Sabha during 2009-2014, veteran Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader and former foreign minister late Sushma Swaraj was often seen involved in verbal duels with Manmohan Singh, with both leaders throwing up Urdu couplets to take on each other.
In one such occasion in 2013, during the debate on the Motion of Thanks to the President's Address, Prime Minister Singh looking at Sushma Swaraj, quoted Mirza Ghalib – "Hum ko un se wafa ki hai umeed, jo nahin jante wafa kya hai (We are expecting loyalty from those who do not know the meaning of the word)"
Swaraj, also well-versed in Urdu, responded saying that a couplet should be countered by a couplet. She quoted famous poet Bashir Badr's 'sher' and said, "Kuch toh majboorian rahi hongi, yun hi koi bewafaa nahi hota (there must have been some compulsions, nobody becomes disloyal for no reason)".
Tumhe wafa yaad nahi...
The former external affairs minister added another couplet responding to the prime minister“Tumhe wafa yaad nahi, humein jafa yaad nahi; zindagi aur maut ke toh do hi tarane hein, ek tumhe yaad nahi, ek hamein yaad nahi '(You don't remember my loyalty, I don't remember your disloyalty, life has only two songs - one you don't remember, one I don't remember).”
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