Debroy leaves IIFT event in a huff

IIFT students and faculty faced a piquant situation on Wednesday when NITI Aayog member Bibek Debroy walked out in a huff without delivering his inaugural address saying that he was getting late as the programme got delayed. Debroy, who was scheduled to speak at the inaugural session, excused himself saying he would not mind being “rude” and “disappear instantly without waiting for the vote of thanks”. The country’s prestigious institute, Indian Institute of Foreign Trade (IIFT), had invited him to speak on “India’s Trade Deficit with Major Trading Partners: Lessons and Prospects” at its campus here. 

When his turn came to speak, he said: “I was scheduled to leave at quarter to 11 at 10.45 am. So I have way passed that limit, so therefore I shall be rude and disappear instantly without waiting for the vote of thanks after having thanked IIFT for inviting me here. “What happens to the inaugural address, well I do have several things (to say) on the issue but like I said, let it wait for the next study and the next inaugural address. Thank you again for having invited me,” Debroy said and left the auditorium.

To the disappointment of the faculty members and students, he spoke for less than two minutes.