Pranab lashes out at Brinda Karat in RS

Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee lost his temper in the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday after being repeatedly interrupted by CPI-M member Brinda Karat during discussion on the price rise issue.

Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee on Tuesday rubbed salt into the Left’s wounds by saying the formation should get 272 seats in the Lok Sabha if it wanted its policies to be implemented.

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“Get 272 seats and you will be entitled to do what you like to do.”

The Left won 61 seats in 2004. The tally came down to 24 in 2009.

Replying to a calling attention discussion on disinvestment, Mukherjee said, “Nobody can give a guarantee. Every government is elected with a mandate and does what it feels is in the best interest of the country. In 2014, if that government feels it necessary, it may continue disinvestments or scrap it.”

The previous UPA government, though “grateful” for Left support, was not in its “bondage”. Seven public sector undertakings had been disinvested then, he added.

This was not the only time Mukherjee snapped at the Left on Tuesday. Earlier, while speaking about price rise, Mukherjee was repeatedly interrupted by CPM leader Brinda Karat, prompting him to lash out, “Please don’t show your temper in the House. Show your temper somewhere else.”

Vice-President Hamid Ansari intervened, “This practice which has developed of interjecting at any point of time is not only rude but also a waste of the precious time of the House during the question hour.”