P Chidambram’s love for “kutta, billi” may have endeared him to animal lover and BJP MP Maneka Gandhi, but his lack of concern for “aam admi” has got the goat of Left MPs.
NEW DELHI: Finance Minister P Chidambram’s love for “kutta, billi” (cats and dogs) may have endeared him to animal lover and BJP MP Maneka Gandhi, but his lack of concern for “aam admi” has got the goat of Left MPs. It also triggered some uncharitable comments in Parliament corridor, such as “Congress ka haath, kutta billi ka saath.”
Samajwadi Party general secretary Amar Singh made a slight deviation: “Congress ka hath Aam Admi ki gardan par.”
The FM announced a 10 per cent excise duty cut on pet foods, saying “I have good news for cat and dog lovers. I propose to reduce the duty on pet foods from 30 to 20 per cent.”
RJD chief and Railway Minister Lalu Prasad too was critical about Chidambaram’s love for “kutta, billi”.Expressing concern that the budget had ignored the large number of suicides by distressed farmers, CPI leader in Lok Sabha Gurudas Dasgupta, Forward Block chief Debabrata Biswas and CPM politburo member Sitaram Yechury took potshots at the FM. An unsavoury comment by Jairam Ramesh, minister of state for commerce to a TV channel - “Let the Left members eat pet foods” - only compounded the Left’s belligerence.
Not only the Left, senior BJP leaders LK Advani and Sushma Swaraj also ridiculed Chidambaram. “At a time when aam admi finds dal costly, the FM is exulting over the fact that he is reducing prices of food for pets,” said Advani. Sushma Swaraj said: “Aadmi ka khana mehenga, kutte ka khana sasta (man’s meals are costlier, pet food cheaper).” She added that Chidambaram had broken farmers’ spirit.
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}