New Delhi: Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury on Monday took a jibe at Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman after she said that the opposition has been shedding crocodile tears on the Manipur issue. He said, "If we were shedding crocodile tears, why didn't you do at least that?"
His remarks came after Sitharaman slammed the opposition today over the issue of Manipur, saying that the opposition has been shedding crocodile tears and that If the opposition genuinely cared, then they would have discussed the matter in Parliament.
The Congress leader questioned whether Sitharaman represents the finance ministry or a fake ministry.
"FM could mean Finance Minister or Fake Minister...our voice has reached Manipur and every house of India," he told ANI.
Chowdhury further stated, "Opposition won't leave Manipur issue and that's why those who were silent so far, now even they have started to speak...if we were shedding crocodile tears, why didn't you do at least that?"
A delegation of 20 MPs from the Opposition bloc went on a two-day visit to violence-hit Manipur on Saturday and met displaced people in relief camps.
Speaking to the reporters on Monday, Sitharaman said, "Opposition doesn't want to participate in the discussion on the Manipur issue. Today when this issue was taken up in the Parliament, the opposition ran away from the discussion. Saddened by the behaviour of the opposition. Manipur is just a political issue for them (Opposition). Today it was proved that they were just shedding crocodile tears on the Manipur issue. If they genuinely cared, then they would have discussed it."
The opposition has been demanding a statement from Prime Minister Narendra Modi in parliament on the Manipur issue since the beginning of the monsoon session.