Like master, like pupil: Congress takes dig at PM Modi, Biplab Deb

Tripur Chief Minister Biplab Dev (L) with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Photo: File (Twitter)

NEW DELHI: The Congress on Monday took a dig at Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Tripura Chief Minister Biplab Deb after the latter advised the unemployed youth to sell "paan" (betel leaves) instead of "running after political parties for government jobs". "Like guru, like pupil," Congress Spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala tweeted as he raked up Modi's "pakoda" remarks that had drawn widespread flak. "Modi says Ganesha had a plastic surgery, Biplab says internet was used in the Mahabharata. Modi says super computers do super computing, Biplab says mechanical engineers should not appear in civil services exams. Modi tells youth to sell pakodas, Biplab tells them to sell paan," Surjewala tweeted.

जैसा गुरु, वैसा चेला -: 1. मोदीजी: गणेश जी की प्लास्टिक सर्जरी हुई बिप्लब: महाभारत में इंटरनेट का इस्तेमाल हुआ 2.मोदी जी: सुपर कंप्यूटर सुपर कंप्यूटिंग करते हैं बिप्लब: मैकेनिकल इंजीनियर सिविल सर्विस परीक्षा न दें 3. मोदी जी : युवा पकोड़े बेचें बिप्लब: युवा पान बेचें pic.twitter.com/QIEFfd98p8

— Randeep Singh Surjewala (@rssurjewala) April 30, 2018

The Tripura Chief Minister on Sunday said the educated youth in his state should set up paan shops instead of wasting their precious time by "running after political parties for several years to get government jobs". His remarks are already drawing flak on social media. Modi, asked in a TV interview in January about his promise of creating one crore jobs every year, said: "Somebody please tell me if someone sells pakodas (fritters) and earns Rs 200 by the end of the day, will you not call it employment?" Last week, Deb advised mechanical engineers not to go for the civil services as, he said, civil engineers were better suited for the job. "Those who are from a mechanical engineering background should not opt for civil services. Society has to be built up. Civil engineers have this knowledge," Deb said.