BJP sniggers at Congress, asks if it meant langar meal

At a time when there has been much criticism of the official figure for poverty that puts anyone earning more than R32 in urban areas and R27 in rural areas as above the poverty line, statements by Congress leaders justifying the figure led to a political slugfest on Thursday.

At a time when there has been much criticism of the official figure for poverty that puts anyone earning more than Rs 32 in urban areas and Rs 27 in rural areas as above the poverty line, statements by Congress leaders justifying the figure led to a political slugfest on Thursday.

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The context: Congress leaders Rasheed Masood and Raj Babbar claimed that one could have a square meal for Rs 5 in Delhi and Rs 12 in Mumbai.

Senior BJP leader Murli Manohar Joshi took a dig at the Congress offering Rs 24 to any Congress leader for a day to have two square meals.

“We have mid-day meals, too, in our country, though quality of food is a different question. The reality is that in a Varanasi village one can’t have a meal in the amounts cited. True, one can have free meals at a gurdwara or a temple,” Joshi said.

“The fact remains that it is only Chhattisgarh that gives dal and rice at R5 so that one can have a meal at this price. We are willing to give any Congress leader Rs 12 or Rs 5 so that they show us where to have a square meal at these costs. I hope they aren’t talking of e-food eaten online.”