Fisticuffs over flu

As the swine flu outbreak in the country assumes alarming proportions, the discussion on the issue in the Rajya Sabha is increasingly taking on political hues. While the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam's Tiruchi Siva demanded to know the state-wise break-up of swine flu cases and related deaths, the Congress' Pramod Tewari pointed out that the highest number of swine flu deaths had taken place in the Bharatiya Janata Party-ruled states of Rajasthan, Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh. When Himachal Pradesh MP Viplove Thakur attempted to hit out at the government, Health Minister J P Nadda, who hails from the state, interjected, "At least our state is spared from this (swine flu)." Thakur quipped: "That is because of us (the Congress party, which is in power in that state)."