New Delhi:
The Congress's effort at limiting the damage wrought by its spokesperson Raj Babbar professing that Rs. 12 can buy a complete meal in Mumbai, was two-pronged today. While Mr 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?" Mr 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 Mr 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.
"If my statement has pained someone then I regret it," Mr Babbar said. "I don't want my statement to harm my party in any way," he added.
Yesterday, he had stood by his statement. The clarification today came after the Congress made it clear that it did not endorse his take, with Mr Maken also tweeting, "We do not agree with Rs. 15 & Rs. 5 statement of some leaders." Mr Maken heads the Congress' Communications Department.
After Mr Babbar's statement on Wednesday, his colleague, Rasheed Masood, topped him by declaring on Thursday that Rs. 5 is sufficient for a meal near Jama Masjid in Delhi. (Comment)
Earlier this week, the Planning Commission said the percentage of Indians living below the poverty line has fallen to 22 per cent in just seven years (from 2004-05 to 2011-12). It also said that anyone with more than Rs. 33 to spend a day in urban areas and more than Rs. 27 a day in rural areas is counted as above the poverty line.
The Opposition alleges that the new math proves that the government has no solutions to raging inflation, and is engineering the math to deceive voters ahead of the national election when the Congress will ask for a third term in power.
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?" Mr 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 Mr 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.
"If my statement has pained someone then I regret it," Mr Babbar said. "I don't want my statement to harm my party in any way," he added.
Yesterday, he had stood by his statement. The clarification today came after the Congress made it clear that it did not endorse his take, with Mr Maken also tweeting, "We do not agree with Rs. 15 & Rs. 5 statement of some leaders." Mr Maken heads the Congress' Communications Department.
After Mr Babbar's statement on Wednesday, his colleague, Rasheed Masood, topped him by declaring on Thursday that Rs. 5 is sufficient for a meal near Jama Masjid in Delhi. (Comment)
Earlier this week, the Planning Commission said the percentage of Indians living below the poverty line has fallen to 22 per cent in just seven years (from 2004-05 to 2011-12). It also said that anyone with more than Rs. 33 to spend a day in urban areas and more than Rs. 27 a day in rural areas is counted as above the poverty line.
The Opposition alleges that the new math proves that the government has no solutions to raging inflation, and is engineering the math to deceive voters ahead of the national election when the Congress will ask for a third term in power.
Track Latest News Live on NDTV.com and get news updates from India and around the world
