The Congress MP from Malkajgiri in Telangana, Revanth Reddy, irked the treasury benches during Question Hour on Monday by citing the “Rupee is in ICU” comment made by Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his tenure as CM of Gujarat. Reddy tells The Indian Express that the BJP cannot blame the Congress-led UPA government for its own “inefficiency” in managing the economy. The Lok Sabha Monday witnessed some heated exchanges between you and Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman. Revanth Reddy: While asking a question about rupee devaluation and foreign exchange reserves, I quoted Prime Minister Narendra Modi's comment that the rupee is in ICU. At that time, the value of the rupee against the US dollar was 66. Today, the minister admitted in her reply that it is 83.20. That's what my contention was. There are two options for those in the ICU — either you come out fine, or you end up in the mortuary. Since the [value of the] rupee is consistently dropping, and is at 83.20 [now], I asked if it is going to the mortuary. But what was the provocation for the argument? Revanth Reddy: They did not like me quoting Modi. I was told I should not use it. I said he is our PM and I can quote him. My question was, what action is being taken by the government. Did the minister give you the reply? Revanth Reddy: No. Instead the Finance Minister said since I am from Telangana, my Hindi is not correct and that she could also give me a reply in broken Hindi. To which I reacted that since I am a Shudra (by caste), it's natural that I would not speak good Hindi, but since the minister is a Brahmin, she can speak good Hindi. The Speaker warned against referring to anyone's caste or religion in the House. Revanth Reddy: When I was ridiculed for the language I had used, I had to respond. I have asked the Finance Minister if it is a fact that since 1947 and upto 2014 — 67 years — India had borrowed Rs 55,87,147 crore. In the last few years, this government has borrowed Rs 80,00,000 crore. This means their financial management is weak. They don't know how to run a government, that's why they have to borrow Rs 1 million crore every year. It shows your efficiency. But they always blamed the Congress. I wanted to tell them that you can't blame the Congress for your mismanagement. You said you wanted to expose the BJP in the House. Is the Opposition doing enough of that? Revanth Reddy: I think when the government does not have answers, its ministers ridicule you over language. The minister went on to say she does not eat onions, while I eat them. Countering valid questions with what you eat or your language is a ploy they have adopted. I wanted to expose them. Yes, the Opposition parties should have better coordination to expose this government and its failures on the economic front. We have to tell them that how we speak or what we eat is not the issue. That's why Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has taken out the Bharat Jodo Yatra. I told them that too.
