Chidambaram corners PM Modi over 'pakoda' remark

Former finance minister P. Chidambaram on Sunday said Prime Minister Narendra Modi is suggesting to sell 'pakodas' as jobs because there is a dearth of employment opportunity in the country.

The senior Congress Party leader, while speaking at the launch of his book titled 'Speaking Truth to Power' here, said, "We should begin to ask hard questions. Unless more and more people ask questions to the present government it will continue to live in denial. They know there is a dearth of jobs. They deem selling 'pakoras' as jobs. That is like adding salt to wounds."

"In Gujarat, they asked some hard questions. I think the next opportunity to ask questions is coming in Karnataka," Chidambaram added.

Earlier as well, Chidambaram had taken a jibe at Prime Minister Modi and tweeted, "Even selling pakodas is a 'job', said Prime Minister Modi. 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".

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is being targeted by the Opposition parties for suggesting in an interview that a person earning Rs 200 a day by selling pakodas is also employed.