'She will find Pappu in West Bengal...' Nirmala Sithraman hits back at Mahua Moitra - Watch

Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra on Tuesday in Lok the Sabha while questioning the economic policies of the government, had quipped "Who is Pappu now?"

Image source: Twitter

New Delhi: Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Wednesday took a jibe at Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra in Lok the Sabha, asking her to look for a "Pappu" in her own backyard, a day after the firebrand TMC MP while questioning the economic policies of the government, had quipped "Who is Pappu now?" The TMC leader cited government data showing industrial contraction to question the Centre's handling of the economy. Referring to the latest data released by the National Statistical Office (NSO), she claimed that while India's industrial output shrunk by four per cent in October to a 26-month low, the manufacturing sector, which is "still the biggest generator of jobs", contracted by 5.6 per cent. 

Sithraman's comment came during the course of her reply to the discussion on demands for grants, she gave a lengthy rebuttal to Moitra`s Tuesday`s comments. The Finance Minister on her part, on Wednesday pointed out how West Bengal had boycotted various Central government schemes.

"Talking about macro-economy, economic fundamentals and so on, honourable member Mahua Moitra said about where one should find pappu, who is the Pappu, where is the Pappu and so on. Actually, it is either West Bengal. So, all the macro-economic fundamentals were being questioned. There were questions of, `where is the Pappu?, who is the Pappu?` Actually, if only the honourable member looks back into her own backyard, she will find Pappu in West Bengal," she responded.

लोकतंत्र में जनता सरकार के हाथ में माचिस देती है इसीलिए प्रश्न ये नही होना चाहिए कि हाथ में माचिस किसने दी ,असली प्रश्न तो ये है कि माचिस का उपयोग किस प्रकार किया गया।

- श्रीमती @nsitharaman लोक सभा मे चर्चा के दौरान। pic.twitter.com/h2xU2vbPQH

— NSitharamanOffice (@nsitharamanoffc) December 14, 2022

Sitharaman further said: "There is no doubt about it. Where there is a wonderful scheme which can benefit common people, West Bengal sits over it. It does not distribute it. You do not need to search anywhere else for Pappu."

(With IANS inputs)