Rokh Sakho thoo Rokhlo..

'Sir, baat mein kaayade ki karta hun/ desh ke fayade ki karta hun. (Sir, I talk sense and it's all about benefiting the country.) That's Union Railway Minister Lalu Prasad for you, presenting the 2007-2008 Railway Budget in parliament Tuesday with his true business acumen.

This time around, the railway minister chose to sprinkle his budget speech with Hindi and Urdu couplets, and unflinchingly began by comparing himself with Lord Krishna for bringing about a miraculous turnaround in the Indian Railways.

But the touch of modesty was not missing; he shared the credit with the railways employees.

'Lord Krishna was acclaimed as Giridhar when in a moment of crisis he lifted Mount Govardhan on his finger. However, he did this with the supporting hands of thousands of his fellow villagers,' said the minister.

'Though people are giving me the credit for the turnaround of the railways, with all humility I would like to share with the house that this miracle has been possible because of the tireless efforts of 1.4 million railway employees,' he added.

Lalu Prasad began his budget speech with a guzarish (request): 'Ho izaazat to karun bayan dil apna/ Sanjon rakkha hai maine rail ka ek sapna.' (If you allow me to, I would like to disclose my dreams for the railways in the comings years.) The Opposition was, indeed, not obliging, but he continued.

Crediting himself with ushering in a new work culture, he added : 'Navajis hai sabki, karam hai sabhi ka/ Bade fakhra se ham bulandi par aaye. Tarakki ke sare mayaron se aage/Naye dhang laaye, nayi soch laaye. (I am grateful to everyone and am very proud to have reached this stage, ahead of all milestones of progress with my innovative work culture.)

Outdoing former Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee in his proverbial use of verse, Lalu said: 'Maana ki badi-badi baaten karna hamen nahin aaya/ Magar dil par badi kaarigari se naam likhte hain. (I don't know how to boast about what I do, but I have the skill to write my name on people's hearts.'

Talking about the 'record-breaking performance' of the railways in the recent past, including the increase in passenger and freight earnings, and the whopping Rs. 215 billion projected profits for 2007-2008, the minister said: 'Jitna ab tak dekh chuke ho, ye to bas shuruat hai. Khel tamasha aage dekho, dariya dil saudagar ka.'

Loosely translated, it means: 'This is just the beginning. Watch out for the fun as you witness our future generosity.'

- Courtesy - Too many to mention