Amid heated debate, a light-hearted exchange between Opposition and Chair

As the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi led a pitched attack on the government over the interim trade agreement with the U.S. The Lok Sabha witnessed a light-hearted exchange between the Congress leader and the Chair of the House, Jagdambika Pal.

When Mr. Gandhi sought to question the government over reports referring to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other Ministers in some recently released documents in the U.S., Mr. Pal asked him to confine his remarks to matters related to the Union Budget on which the discussion was taking place.

Mr. Gandhi responded by saying that he would not be harsh toward Mr. Pal since the latter was formerly with the Congress party, and he (Mr. Gandhi) had a soft corner for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP from Uttar Pradesh.

“Had you listened to me, you would not have been sitting on that side of the House. I am here as a presiding officer,” Mr. Pal shot back.

“But we like you, sir, and we know your heart is not there. We know your heart is here,” Mr. Gandhi responded.

Mr. Pal joined the BJP in 2014. He has since then represented the Domariyaganj Lok Sabha Constituency in Uttar Pradesh for three consecutive terms, although he was first elected to the Lok Sabha from Domariyaganj in 2009 on a Congress ticket.

Over the years, he has served three terms as an MLA, and has also been a Minister in the Uttar Pradesh Government. Earlier in his political career, Mr. Pal was also president of the Uttar Pradesh Congress.