On tandoori chicken row in Parliament complex, Mahua Moitra says: ‘Silly souls!’
In an attack apparently aimed at Union minister Smriti Irani, Trinamool Lok Sabha MP Mahua Moitra commented on the tandoori chicken row and called BJP leader Shehzad Poonawala who objected to suspended MPs eating tandoori chicken in front of the Gandhi statue ‘BJP’s hired help’.
“BJP’s hired help commenting on what food suspended MPs eat on dharna. Silly Souls! Don’t you know your masters serve both tongue & cheek?!” Mahua Moitra’s cryptic tweet read. Silly Souls is the Goa bar which was in news because of irregularities alleged by the Congress.
The suspended MPs have been protesting in the Parliament complex for 50 hours non-stop. Different parties are taking care of their food and a roster has been made accordingly for breakfast, lunch and dinner. On Thursday, the Trinamool reportedly arranged for tandoori chicken. BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawala objected to non-vegetarian food being served in front of the Gandhi statue and questioned the seriousness of the protest.
“As per media reports, some suspended MPs protesting in front of the Gandhi Statue in Parliament consumed tandoori chicken. Everyone knows Gandhi ji had staunch views on the slaughter of animals. Many people are asking if this was a protest or a farce and a picnic,” Poonawala said.
Trinamool’s Sushmita Dev hit back and said behind closed doors RSS leaders are eating everything and the food served is not the problem and the BJP is insecure of the bonhomie among the opposition parties. “Behind closed doors, people and leaders of RSS eat everything behind closed doors. So, don’t make a comment on our food. They can’t tolerate that the food is being brought not from our home, but by other MPs. They are scared of this solidarity,” Sushmita Dev said.
“While some have roti at lunch, we have fish curry and rice or chicken. What is wrong with that? We have the right to eat what we want,” another protesting leader said.
Mahua Moitra has been attacking the BJP after a ruckus broke out inside the Lok Sabha following Smriti Irani- Sonia Gandhi face-off. As the BJP alleged that Sonia Gandhi intimidated BJP MPs and displayed great aggression as she ‘snubbed’ Smriti Irani, Mahua Moitra confirmed that she was there and nothing of that sort happened. Instead, BJP MPs encircled her like a pack of wolves, Mahua Moitra said.
On Friday, Mahua said she expects censure on BJP by the Chair after Thursday’s ‘Jungle raj’. “I remember orchestrated show of ‘condemnation’ by Chair when I had rightly made fuss about being cut off before time. After yesterday’s jungle raj on floor of House am eagerly awaiting similar censure for BJP by Chair,” Mahua said.