 "Deviation from the written text")
On Sunday, parliamentarians gave a farewell to outgoing President Pranab Mukherjee. The President’s speech on the occasion mentioned a legion of stellar parliamentarians. The written text of the speech that was circulated among the members didn’t mention Congress president Sonia Gandhi. But when he delivered the speech in the Central Hall of Parliament, Mukherjee added this to point number 5 in his speech — “calming presence of Manmohan Singh, mature advice of L K Advani and passionate support of Sonia Gandhi on social legislations”.
Not one Bharatiya Janata Party MP, with the exception of its Rajya Sabha member from West Bengal Rupa Ganguly, walked up to Mukherjee during the dinner that followed. Members complained how the dinner, in honour of someone from Bengal, was all vegetarian. The speech posted on the website of the President of India includes the part about the Congress president.
One subscription. Two world-class reads.
Already subscribed? Log in
Subscribe to read the full story →*Subscribe to Business Standard digital and get complimentary access to The New York Times
Smart Quarterly
₹900
3 Months
₹300/Month
SAVE 25%
Smart Essential
₹2,700
1 Year
₹225/Month
SAVE 46%
*Complimentary New York Times access for the 2nd year will be given after 12 months
Super Saver
₹3,900
2 Years
₹162/Month
Subscribe
Renews automatically, cancel anytime
Here’s what’s included in our digital subscription plans
Exclusive premium stories online
Over 30 premium stories daily, handpicked by our editors
Complimentary Access to The New York Times
News, Games, Cooking, Audio, Wirecutter & The Athletic
Business Standard Epaper
Digital replica of our daily newspaper — with options to read, save, and share
Curated Newsletters
Insights on markets, finance, politics, tech, and more delivered to your inbox
Market Analysis & Investment Insights
In-depth market analysis & insights with access to The Smart Investor
Archives
Repository of articles and publications dating back to 1997
Ad-free Reading
Uninterrupted reading experience with no advertisements
Seamless Access Across All Devices
Access Business Standard across devices — mobile, tablet, or PC, via web or app
SAVE 25%