The BJP accused Tharoor of “mocking” the lifestyle of the middle class saying it showed his insensitivity. “The twitter of Minister of state for External Affairs has blatantly insulted and tantalised a large middle class ostensibly mocking their austere lifestyle,” BJP spokesperson Rajiv Pratap Rudy said. The BJP MP said by terming economy class in airlines as a “cattle class” Tharoor has shown his insensitivity “pounding the feelings and respect of the common traveller”. Tharoor reportedly wrote on Twitter, a social networking website: “Absolutely, in cattle class out of solidarity with all our holy cows.”
“The statement of Tharoor gives a display of unprecedented arrogance which in a way has been usually witnessed in the Congress party,” Rudy added in his statement.
Congress had disapproved of his statement saying Tharoor’s remark was not sensible.
The BJP leader said the government should refrain from “hoodwinking” and work towards “the serious business of reducing prices”.
Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chauhan said he had no right to continue in the Union Council of Ministers after his “insulting” remarks about economy class travellers.
“I believe that in a democracy, people are God. To refer to them as ‘cattle’ is an insult to them. And I believe that such a person has no right to be a Union minister,” he said.
Chauhan said Tharoor, Union Minister of State for External Affairs, perhaps did not not know India very well.
Janata Dal (U) President Sharad Yadav also attacked Tharoor’s remarks saying, “such people who do not know the condition in which common people live are in large numbers in the party (Congress).”
About Tharoor he said, “Tharoor is not fit to become external affairs minister. He does not understand any problems of the country. He understands neither Kerala, nor his own constituency.”
‘Ploy to divert attention’
Yadav, attacking the Congress over the austerity drive, said: “Austerity drive is a ploy by Congress led UPA government to divert attention from drought and price rise which have hit the common man hard. Why did they not launch any such drive earlier when they were in power in the last five years?”
Terming the drive a “sham”, he alleged the drive was started after External Affairs Minister SM Krishna and his MoS Shashi Tharoor were exposed “lavishly” spending on hotel bills. Tharoor on Wednesday received a sharp rebuke from his own party Congress which said his remark “cattle class” in the context of economy class travel forced by government’s austerity measures was “unacceptable and insensitive”.
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