Bidding adieu

For a Parliament session that has gone down in record books as the most unproductive, notwithstanding the infamous "pepper spray" incident casting a black mark over the performance of the 15th Lok Sabha - the camaraderie that was witnessed in the house on the last day of the session could almost be akin to that of classmates on the last day of school. Leader of the House and Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde took the lead praising Leader of the Opposition Sushma Swaraj for her "words that are sweeter than sweets". Realising that for many of the 543 members of the Lok Sabha this might be their last day in the house, the genial Shinde told his colleagues, "Who knows how many of us will come back (get elected) to the 16th Lok Sabha, so sit as long as you can..."