Taking the floor, the 38-year-old MP tried to set aside the nitty-gritty of the nuclear deal and focus instead on the dreams of children in Vidarbha, who still have to take their lessons by the dim light of a kerosene lamp.
Frequently interrupted by the BJP and the BSP, the young Gandhi had to plead with them saying, “Please allow me to speak for ten minutes as all of you are my seniors.”

His sister Priyanka and her husband Robert Vadra watched the proceedings from the visitors’ gallery.
Rahul’s address, which might be mistaken for a college debate speech, started on a personal note saying he had decided to speak as an Indian and not as a member of any political party. He added that he hoped all members joined him in speaking in the country’s best interest.

When the Congress MP began speaking about Sasikala and Kalavati — two poor women from Vidarbha — the BJP MPs passed comments, making fun of how he was unaware of the grassroot situation.
Matters came to such a pass that the Speaker had to adjourn the House for one hour.
Subsequently, when Rahul resumed narrating Kalavati’s story, the Speaker asked him to omit “vati” as it was being made the butt of jokes. Accordingly, he only mentioned “Mrs Kala” in rest of his speech.

Maintaining that Indian scientists were struggling due to lack of fuel and equipment, he said, “I am proud to say our PM has recognised both the problem and the potential solution. It would be unfair on my part if I did not recall here that Mr Vajpayee also saw the problem and worked on the solution.”

Amidst thumping of desks by his party colleagues, including Sonia Gandhi, Rahul went on to make a case for an eclectic yet balanced portfolio of nuclear, solar, wind and hydel energy. Lavishing fulsome praise on the PM, he said, “The magic that Manmohan Singhji is doing is that he has identified an opportunity from within the problem.”