New Delhi/Bhubaneswar: The Lok Sabha witnessed Union Minister Pratap Chandra Sarangi’s extraordinary multilingual oratory skills when he spoke for nearly 50-minutes while participating on the Motion of Thanks on the President’s address.
The first-time MP from Balasore spoke in five languages – English, Hindi, Sanskrit, Odia and Bengali thereby drawing the attention of the entire House.
Always seen in a pair of white cotton kurta-pyjamas, Sarangi had drawn the attention of national media for his simplicity following his swearing-in as a Union Minister in the second Narendra Modi Government.
Initiating the debate on the Motion of Thanks on the President’s address, the MSME and Animal Husbandry, Dairying and Fisheries (MoS) Minister said, “For me politics is never an instrument for enjoyment; it is a noble way to serve the people.”
During his maiden speech Sarnagi thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Speaker Om Birla for providing him, a first-timer, an opportunity to deliver this speech in the Lower House.
Sarangi is an unlikely politician. A bachelor, who lives in a thatched house, rides a bicycle and leads a simple life, the 64-year-old MP from Balasore took oath as a MoS in the second Narendra Modi Government.
He defeated BJD MP and industrialist Rabindra Kumar Jena and Nabajyoti Patnaik of Congress, two of Odisha’s richest MP candidates. He is fondly called ‘Nana,’ someone revered like an elder brother. He was also elected to the Odisha Assembly twice in 2004 and 2009.
Prime Minister Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh were present during Sarangi’s speech and were seen laughing when the latter was taking on the Congress over corruption and other issues with his extraordinary multilingual oratory skills by giving examples from Hindu scriptures.
