WATCH: Indian politicians try, and fail, to stay awake during parliamentary debate on economy

A heated debate on the economy saw the opposition stage a walk-out from India’s parliament on Wednesday and those who remained behind were seemingly exhausted by the spectacle, falling asleep one by one.

Finance Minister Nirmala Sithraman gave a fiery address discussing the state of the Indian economy, saying sectors such as the automotive industry had already begun bouncing back since she released her first budget and adding that, while growth may have slowed, the country was not, in fact, in recession. 

Many of her BJP colleagues seated around her would seemingly only hear her rousing words on the evening news, however, as they all drifted off to sleep.

Mahendra Nath Pandey, the Minister for Skill Development, was spotted dozing multiple times, with his head bobbing up and down as he fought against unconsciousness, only to be rudely awoken by a staffer, much to his consternation.

Minister of State for Finance Anurag Thakur was spotted trying to wake up various MPs around the Rajya Sabha, or parliamentary house. Many online couldn’t help but draw parallels between the Indian economy and its apparently unconscious parliament.

Others criticized the opposition for repeatedly calling for a debate on the economy, only to walk out of the chamber when one was arranged.

Like this story? Share it with a friend!