BJP needs no advice as it has PM Modi: Chidambaram on Jaitley's Hooda jibe

Senior Congress leader P Chidambaram Saturday hit back at Union minister Arun Jaitley for taking a swipe at the opposition party over its move to rope in surgical strike architect D S Hooda to head a national security task force.

The former finance minister said while Jaitley "debunked" the Congress, he should have added to his comment that the BJP needs no advice as it has Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Jaitley on Friday took potshots at the Congress, saying it is "intriguing" that the party which ruled India for half a century needs to be educated on national security issues.

Mr Jaitley has debunked the Congress for requesting General Hooda to advise on national security. He should have added BJP needs no advice because it has Mr Modi, Chidambaram said in a series of tweets.

Lt Gen Hooda (retired) will head a Congress task force on national security.

On September 29, 2016, the Army had carried out the strikes on seven terrorist launch pads across the Line of Control (LoC) in retaliation to an attack on its base in Uri earlier that month.

Hitting back at Jaitley for his remarks, Chidambaram said the BJP does not need someone like Dr Raghuram Rajan to head the Reserve Bank of India, because it has Mr Modi.

BJP does not need a planning commission, because it has Mr Modi. BJP does not need a National Statistics Commission, because it has Mr Modi, he said on Twitter.

Chidambaram said that "actually, BJP does not need a Cabinet, because it has Mr Modi."

The former finance minister also said he was waiting to see if the prime minister will take action against Meghalaya Governor Tathagata Roy for his tweet supporting a ban on Kashmiri goods.