Minister Sleeping During FM Nirmala Sitharaman's Speech on Economic Slowdown Wakes Twitter Up

In a video that has gone viral, the Skill Development Minister of India, Mahendra Nath Pandey, can be seen sleeping as he sits behind Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman while she addresses the economic slowdown in the country.

Sitharaman was countering the Opposition's argument that the GDP growth is the worst in seven years and the state of employment in the country is miserable. The finance minister, in an elaborate speech, explains that while the economy of the country has slowed down, it cannot be called recession yet.

Even as the Rajya Sabha discussed the state of economy, the attendance in the Upper House was dismal. The Opposition had been demanding a session on the same for a while now, and when the House did oblige, there were not enough MPs to form quorum. Perhaps that could explain Pandey's lack of enthusiasm? Or maybe, he is perfectly aware of the pitiable state of employment in the country (given, that he is the skill development minister), knows that speeches wouldn't cater to the job problem anyway and simply chooses to doze off instead. Well, we'll never know.

Nevertheless, a photo of him fast asleep just behind Nirmala Sitharaman has gone viral on social media with several people trolling him and the Centre for their overall lackadaisical attitude and nonchalance to the economic slump that India has been facing.

@nsitharaman madam you are speaking on fire on economic situation, wer as your colleague in back feels lori and sleeping. It feels real disgusting watching them behind on @rajyasabhatvGood to see @ianuragthakur ji noticed and waked him up finally pic.twitter.com/Co1RT0PaR0

— Samuel Eslawath (@iamSamuel4U) November 27, 2019

@BloombergQuint @nsitharaman @hvgoenka @_nirajshah guy behind bored with FM speech and happily sleeping . He will suddenly wake up and clap @narendramodi @AmitShah pic.twitter.com/UVx3lplnre

— BALU (@Root2Node) November 27, 2019

.@nsitharaman Screaming 'जागते रहो' ️ & @ianuragthakur @DrMNPandeyMP MPs Sleeping सुबह जल्दी उठते हैं गवर्नर के साथ #RajyaSabha Proceedings @rajyasabhatv pic.twitter.com/V7xmrWMGQJ

— Saurabh Rai (@SaurabhRai_INC) November 27, 2019

Interesting debate on the economy in Parliament today. pic.twitter.com/gyRnxXnkrR

— Manu Pubby (@manupubby) November 27, 2019

Where @nsitharaman is presenting her speech in the @rajyasabhatv there behind her two of the #BJP MPs are sleeping and Mr. @ianuragthakur is waking them up constantly not once. Yeh log Desh badlenge. #RajyaSabha #WinterSession #AnuragThakur

— Sreesh (@sreeshofficial) November 27, 2019

Are those two MPs sleeping in @nsitharaman's background during the discussion on economic situation of the country? pic.twitter.com/V3M2AxALAa

— Prof. Moriarty (@DesiOptimystic) November 27, 2019

Who is this guy #sleeping while our #finance minister @nsitharaman is trying so hard to explain away the wrong definition of twin balance sheet to the country from @rajyasabhatv #IndiaEconomy @PMOIndia #Pastmybedtime pic.twitter.com/atGE34F5OQ

— Rajdeep (@RajdeepB) November 27, 2019

Quite an interesting debate, eh?