Chak De Railways, says Lalu

Adding a garnish of some Bollywood masala to the 2008-09 Railway Budget, Lalu Prasad Yadav likened the 'historic' success of the rail network to the 2007 megahit Chak De India.

"In the proud history of independent India, it is for the first time that the returns on the capital investment in the Railways will reach 21 per cent," the railway minister announced as he presented his 5th Rail Budget.

The minister, drawing a parallel with the Shah Rukh Khan starrer, which was based on the game of hockey, said: "We are scoring goal after goal in every match. Every child in the country will now say chak de Railway."

The railway minister, whose inimitable sense of humour was well in place as he presented the Budget, launched himself into verse in Urdu to describe the much-talked-about turnaround of the railways.

"Sab kah rahe hain hum ne gazab kiya hai. Karodon ka munafa har ek

sham diya hai. Phal salon mein ab dega paudha jo lagaya hai. Seva ka smaran ka hamne farz nibhaya hai," he said, as the House burst into laughter. Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee was also seen laughing away.

The poetry was about the Railways doing wonders and earning crores as profits. "The sapling we planted will bear fruit now," Lalu said in the poem.

At the request of some members, he translated the poetry into his accented English, which again had the House in rapture.

"They are saying that Lalu Yadav has planted a fruit tree and every year it is a duty of mine to grow fruit trees," he translated.

Chatterjee then said in Hindi that there would be no problems in the Railways.

The budget speech was peppered with such humorous asides and poetry, not allowing the interest of the House to wane.

• Railway Budget: 2008-09