JOIN USSMK steals show in RS
One could see an assertive and confident external affairs minister as he handled questions on various aspects of his ministry with aplomb.
Krishna was booed and jeered by the aggressive MPs in the last session. But this time they were all praise for him as he made a suo motu statement on Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s recent visit to the US.
Krishna, who was at the receiving end during the last Parliament session for “failure” to answer queries raised by the Opposition members, virtually flattened them this time with his maverick style of speech.
After reading out a lengthy statement, Krishna, wearing a coffee colour bandgala suit, replied ex-tempore to every question raised by the members.
He cracked jokes and even taunted some members who tried desperately to corner him.
In a sarcastic remark, Najma Heptulla (BJP) said: “Is it true that in 40 minutes, US President Barack Obama and the prime minister discussed so many issues?”
Krishna patiently said: “Madam, you are wrong. Your clock must be showing wrong timings. It was not 40 minutes; it is even more. I was present at the meeting.” This led to a burst of laughter.
On Krishna’s statement that the US and India have decided to increase the number of Fulbright scholarships, Ravishankar Prasad (BJP) said: “We are privileged to have you as the external affairs minister as you are a Fulbright scholarship holder yourself”. Happy with the remark, Krishna smiled at the BJP member.
When S S Ahluwalia (BJP) asked the minister how a reality-show couple gatecrashed the Obama-Manmohan Singh dinner in the White House, Krishna said: “Next time when I visit America I will ensure that you (Ahluwalia) should get invitation along with your wife to visit the White House”.
Replying to Sitaram Yechury’s query whether the US intelligence agency, CIA, will open its office in India “to scan our country”, an eloquent Krishna said: “I know you are always worried over American investigation agencies. Don’t worry, your concern will be taken care of. Indian intelligence agencies are capable of gathering information on their own within the country”.