“I like this condescension,” said Nirmala Sitharaman in an apparent attack on the Opposition (Archive)
New Delhi:
Confronting critics, Nirmala Sitharaman said on Friday that a “simple finance minister says Act of God is taken with sarcasm,” while the Latin word “force majeure” is well accepted.
Speaking on Lok Sabha, Sitharaman, who is also the country’s finance prime minister, said her comment is also being criticized because she “seems like a neighborhood aunt” and claimed that misrepresenting her comment is irresponsible.
On August 27, he said that the economy has been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, which is an “act of God,” and will see a contraction in the current fiscal. His comment has been criticized by various political parties.
“Many people spoke on the subject of GST compensation (and) my Act of God statement was referred to several times. I am glad about that. People like to use the Latin expression of force majeure, to express an extraordinary situation. It’s taken with sarcasm. What’s this sir? “he said while responding to the debate on the first batch of supplemental grant claims for 2020-21.
Noting that force majeure in court for clients is fine, but not “by force majeure,” he said, “because this woman, who is a minister, looks like the aunt from the neighborhood. So how can she say this?” .
“I like this condescension,” he said in an apparent attack on the Opposition.
Defending her comment on GST compensation to the states, Ms Sitharaman said that misrepresenting what she said to “say that the Center is relinquishing its responsibility is an absolutely irresponsible comment towards a responsible government that is being led by the Prime Minister. Narendra Modi “.
“I am willing to listen to your suggestions but not sarcasm. Tell me a state government, that can tell me, no, we will not handle it (current situation due to COVID-19),” he said.
Referring to the current tensions between India and China in eastern Ladakh, the finance minister said that she does not want to speak in detail on the issue of national security, but despite the situation in Ladakh, the government is not reducing the return of state taxes. .
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is posted from a syndicated channel.)
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