A tale of three ministers and a woman called Nirmala

Three Union Ministers Arun Jaitley, Piyush Goyal and Dharmendra Pradhan, rushed to a Noida hospital recently after the daughter of Union Minister Mahesh Sharma told them that 'Nirmala' was critically ill. Kailash hospital where 'Nirmala' was admitted is owned by her father.

As the convoy neared the hospital, Arun Jaitley's wife called to him ask his whereabouts and tell him guests were awaiting him at home.  Jaitley said he would be delayed as Union Minister Nirmala Sitharaman had been hospitalised. At that point, Mrs Jaitley interrupted her husband to say she had spoken to Minister Mahesh Sharma's daughter, who told her that her maid 'Nirmala' was breathless and had to be rushed to hospital. The three ministers heaved a sigh of relief and Jaitley returned to his guests at home.

The next day both Jaitley and Nirmala Sitharaman were in Paris and it was in Paris that Jaitley told her about the mix up. Sitharaman, we are told, made a magnificent effort to control her laughter and succeeded, for her mirth would have been the proverbial salt to the finance ministers wound.