Haryana CM Manohar Lal Khattar purchases 'pakodas' from protesting Congress MLAs, takes swipe at them

Chandigarh: Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Tuesday purchased pakodas from protesting Congress MLAs.

"If anyone is getting employment by selling pakodas, it`s a good thing. They had become unemployed, but now they have got the pakoda-selling job, a good thing," Khattar said taking a jibe at the Congress leaders.

Haryana Congress MLAs held a protest on Tuesday by selling pakodas on a road near the state Assembly complex and took a swipe at the Centre and Haryana government's track record in employment generation.

Congress MLAs, including their state legislature party leader Kiran Choudhary, were seen selling pakoda on a 'rehri' (cart). Holding the 'pakoras' in a basket, the Congress MLAs 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 employed, 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 Khattar Cabinet. Rates of 'pakoras' were displayed on the side of the photos of the BJP leaders in the placards.

As Khattar, who was on his way to attend the ongoing state Assembly session, saw Congressmen offering pakodas to passersby, he stopped his cavalcade and got down from the vehicle and purchased pakodas from protesting legislators.

Later in the assembly, Health Minister Anil Vij took a swipe at the Congress by saying that his department would get the quality of pakodas examined.

Agriculture Minister OP Dhankar said the Congress was in the habit of insulting the poor.

"First they made joke of a tea seller. Now they are doing the same thing with the poor people selling pakodas for a living," he said.

(With IANS and PTI inputs)