Poverty of politics: Congmen play ‘cruel joke’ on the poor
27 July 2013 5:35 AM IST
A day after a number of ‘eminent’ leaders from the Congress and other parties, such as the National Conference, went on a declamatory spree, announcing unimaginably low prices of ‘hearty meals’ to be had at various corners of the country, the political figures appeared to be on a backfoot, having turned on the damage-control mode, expressing regrets over their apparently ‘misconstrued’ remarks.
The Congress’ efforts at limiting the damage wrought by its spokesperson Raj Babbar, who professed on Friday that one can have a hearty meal in Rs 12 in Mumbai, was pitifully evident, when Babbar expressed his ‘regret’ in as many words: ‘If my statement has pained someone then I regret it, I don’t want my statement to harm my party in anyway.’ Babbar’s remark had invited severe criticisim from the opposition party and the Congress was left with no option but to distance itself from the grossly inappropriate remark.
While Babbar recanted, expressing regret, another spokesperson Ajay Maken went on the offensive. He tweeted, ‘BJP criticizing Rs. 33.30 Poverty Line should explain why it was Rs. 16.73 in 59th NSSO survey of 2003 and accepted by BJP/NDA Govt?’ Maken claimed that the decline in poverty had been much more significant in the years of UPA rule than in the time of the NDA.
The BJP has pilloried Babbar’s statement for being insensitive and a desperate attempt to defend the planning commission data that claims poverty has been reduced to 22 per cent in India.
‘We do not agree with Rs 12 & Rs 5 statement of some leaders,’ said Congress communication department in charge Ajay Maken, referring to the remarks of Babbar and Rashid Masood who had said that one can have meals for Rs 5 in Delhi. ‘Raj Babbar has issued a categorical statement expressing regret. So we should leave the matter there,’ said Renuka Chowdhury.
The bevy of ‘regrets’ extended to the National Conference party leader Farooq Abdullah who on Friday morning said that one can fill his stomach for just Re 1, recanting the statement later in the day. ‘If you want, you can fill your stomach for Re 1 or Rs 100, depending on what you want to eat. We are working to change the life of the poor so they can eat well be healthy and India can progress,’ said Abdullah, early in the day. Union New and Renewable Energy Minister Farooq Abdullah later in the day said , ‘My comments on the cost of a meal in the media have been taken out of context but I realise that what I said may be misconstrued. I regret any hurt this may have caused’.
The remarks by the politicians were made as the government was shredded by the opposition for releasing new data that shows poverty in India has reduced by 22 per cent in seven years, and that anyone who spends more than Rs. 28 a day in rural areas and Rs. 33 in urban areas is above the poverty line. That math was shared by the Planning Commission this week; critics described the calculations as ‘deeply flawed.’
The Congress’ efforts at limiting the damage wrought by its spokesperson Raj Babbar, who professed on Friday that one can have a hearty meal in Rs 12 in Mumbai, was pitifully evident, when Babbar expressed his ‘regret’ in as many words: ‘If my statement has pained someone then I regret it, I don’t want my statement to harm my party in anyway.’ Babbar’s remark had invited severe criticisim from the opposition party and the Congress was left with no option but to distance itself from the grossly inappropriate remark.
While Babbar recanted, expressing regret, another spokesperson Ajay Maken went on the offensive. He tweeted, ‘BJP criticizing Rs. 33.30 Poverty Line should explain why it was Rs. 16.73 in 59th NSSO survey of 2003 and accepted by BJP/NDA Govt?’ Maken claimed that the decline in poverty had been much more significant in the years of UPA rule than in the time of the NDA.
The BJP has pilloried Babbar’s statement for being insensitive and a desperate attempt to defend the planning commission data that claims poverty has been reduced to 22 per cent in India.
‘We do not agree with Rs 12 & Rs 5 statement of some leaders,’ said Congress communication department in charge Ajay Maken, referring to the remarks of Babbar and Rashid Masood who had said that one can have meals for Rs 5 in Delhi. ‘Raj Babbar has issued a categorical statement expressing regret. So we should leave the matter there,’ said Renuka Chowdhury.
The bevy of ‘regrets’ extended to the National Conference party leader Farooq Abdullah who on Friday morning said that one can fill his stomach for just Re 1, recanting the statement later in the day. ‘If you want, you can fill your stomach for Re 1 or Rs 100, depending on what you want to eat. We are working to change the life of the poor so they can eat well be healthy and India can progress,’ said Abdullah, early in the day. Union New and Renewable Energy Minister Farooq Abdullah later in the day said , ‘My comments on the cost of a meal in the media have been taken out of context but I realise that what I said may be misconstrued. I regret any hurt this may have caused’.
The remarks by the politicians were made as the government was shredded by the opposition for releasing new data that shows poverty in India has reduced by 22 per cent in seven years, and that anyone who spends more than Rs. 28 a day in rural areas and Rs. 33 in urban areas is above the poverty line. That math was shared by the Planning Commission this week; critics described the calculations as ‘deeply flawed.’
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