Cong MLAs hold protest by selling 'pakoras' near Assembly

Haryana Congress MLAs held a protest by selling 'pakoras' on a road near the state Assembly complex here and took a swipe at the Centre and Haryana goverment's track record in employment generation.
Congress MLAs, including their state legislature party leader Kiran Choudhary, were seen selling 'pakoras' on a 'rehri' (cart).
Holding the 'pakoras' in a basket, the Congress legislators tried to march towards the Assembly but they were stopped by the police.
The opposition party legislators present on the occasion also included senior leaders Karan Singh Dalal, Kuldeep Sharma, Geeta Bhukkal and Shakuntala Khatak.
"The Centre and Haryana governments had promised to create large number of jobs for the unemployed. But now they are assuring 'pakoda jobs' to millions of people looking for work. For BJP leaders, even people earning Rs 200 a day selling 'pakoras' can be considered unemployed, which is a cruel joke," Dalal said while speaking to reporters.

The Congress leaders were seen carrying placards, which carried pictures of top BJP leaders and ministers in the Manohar Lal Khattar cabinet.

Rates of 'pakoras' were displayed on the side of the photos of the BJP leaders in the placards.
As Congress leaders were busy offering 'pakoras' to people who passed by, Chief Minister Khattar who was on his way to attend the ongoing Vidhan Sabha's budget session, stopped his cavalcade and got down from his vehicle.
Khattar even purchased small quantity of 'pakoras' from the Congress MLAs.
"If anyone is getting employment by selling 'pakoras', then it is a good thing. They (Congressmen) have become unemployed, now they have got the 'pakora' selling job, which is a good thing," Khattar said in a lighter vein taking a swipe at the Congress legislators selling 'pakoras'.

Haryana's Agriculture Minister O P Dhankar also took a dig at the Congress legislators selling 'pakoras', saying their party was in the habit of "insulting poor."
He slammed Congress for being elitist and looking down on those belonging to humble backgrounds.
"First they made joke of a tea seller, now they are doing the same thing with the poor people selling 'pakoras' for a living. They have elitist mentality and cannot tolerate 'chaiwalas' and 'pakorawalas'," Dhankar said.
Inside the state Assembly, Health Minister Anil Vij told the Congress legislators in a lighter vein that his Department will get the 'pakoras' checked.