Today, the Congress Leader and former Union Finance Minister P. Chidambaram accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of distorting and deflecting the debate on jobs by characterising his pakoda (a type of snack) comment as an insult to the poor. Earlier in an interview with Zee Media, Modi said, “If someone is selling pakodas and making 200 rupees a day, does he not have a livelihood? Do you not consider that employment?”
Chidambaram in a tweet said, “Even selling pakodas is a ‘job’ said PM. By that logic, even begging is a job. Let’s count poor or disabled persons who are forced to beg for a living as ’employed’ people.” Yesterday, Chidambaram criticized Prime Minister Narendra Modi for equating selling pakodas to being employed. He further criticized the BJP Government for failing to create jobs.
Chidambaram posted 12 tweets on twitter commenting on Modi’s statement during the interview. Hours after the storm of tweets Chidambaram again tweeted saying, “In the debate on jobs, it is important to keep the distinction between ‘job’ and ‘self employment’. A ‘job’ is certain, regular and reasonably secure. We want to know how many such jobs have been created.”
The BJP striking back at Chidambaram’s tweet said the Congress has insulted the poor. The Union Minister Prakash Javadekar said, “Prime Minister Modi respects poor people who work hard to earn their livelihood. Congress and P. Chidambaram make fun of them.”
Javadekar further said the Congress only treated the poor as a voting bloc and claimed the BJP was focussed on generating employment for them.