Audience interprets Hamid Ansari’s double entendre as a jab on Nitish
Patna,(BiharTimes): A loaded double entendre (double meaning expression) from former Vice President Hamid Ansari sent the audience laughing at the First Syed Shahabuddin Memorial Lecture at the Bihar Chamber of Commerce and Industries hall in Patna on Saturday.
“Sarjameene Bihar mein ek badi khoobi hai. Yahan bagi bhi paida hote hain aur ashiq bhi; Aksar dekha gaya hai ki baagi premi ho gaye aur premi baagi ho gaye (The land of Bihar has a big quality. Rebels and lovers both are born here. It has been often seen that rebels have turned into lovers and lovers have become rebels),” he said at the very outset of his speech.
Sitting before him with the audience in the first row was none else but Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar. Though Ansari’s punch was directed at fellow diplomat and friend late Syed Shahabuddin the audience took it for the chief minister too who recently switched over from the Grand Alliance to NDA.
The former Vice President was in fact presiding over the lecture which was actually delivered by former foreign secretary of India, Muchkund Dubey, who and Shahabuddin had been friends for 67 years––from 1950 till the death of latter on March 4 last.
Muchkund and Shahab (as the former addressed) had joined Patna College and Science College respectively in 1950 after passing matriculation; joined Indian Foreign Service in 1957 and 1958 respectively (Shahab) a year later because he was not 21 by then) and had served as diplomat together.
Though Shahab plunged into politics two decades later in 1978 they both remained great friends.
As Muchkund Dubey was to speak on the topic “How inclusive is India’s
development” he said the government should ensure inclusive growth only by focusing on education and health sectors. He, however, said this should be done with public money and without the involvement of corporate sector. He said the government should prepare a five-year plan to end caste, religion and economic differences in the country.
According to him inclusive growth is very important to keep the country intact.
He said though India is ranked fourth in number of billionaires, yet it has the largest number of malnourished children and child labours.
Chief minister Nitish Kumar preferred to sit with audience on the first row. He even declined to speak on the occasion.
The function was conducted by Iqbal Ahmad of BBC Hindi Service while Parveen Amanullah, the eldest daughter of Syed Shahabuddin, welcomed the guests.
