Nirmala Sitharaman was recently seen getting provoked to the extent that she found herself drawn into reacting to a seemingly innocuous tweet posted by author Devdutt Pattanaik. As expected, Sitharaman’s reaction to Devdutt Pattanaik’s suggestion that BJP’s Rajya Sabha MP Subramanian Swamy should replace her as the country’s finance minister left Twitterati baffled.
Taking to Twitter, Pattanaik had written arguing in favour of launching a campaign to see Swamy replace Sitharaman as the next finance minister. He wrote, “Remember the movement to get Kalam ji a second term? Can we start a campaign to get Dr. Subramaniam swami ( who actually knows economics) as finance minister? Why is he being ignored? Court conspiracy?” Pattanaik also tagged two right-wing propaganda portals Swarajya and OpIndia and mockingly asked if these two pro-Hindutva platforms, known for peddling fake news, were ‘up to this dharmik task?’
Pattanaik also used an illustration of Sitharaman in Hindu Goddes Laxmi’s avatar, as she was widely dubbed by pro-government TV channels just before she presented her maiden budget in July this year.
Remember the movement to get Kalam ji a second term ? Can we start a campaign to get Dr. Subramaniam swami ( who actually knows economics) as finance minister? Why is he being ignored? Court conspiracy? @SwarajyaMag @OpIndia_com @TrueIndoIogy are you up to this dharmik task? pic.twitter.com/Pf0mUpePMy
— Devdutt Pattanaik (@devduttmyth) October 13, 2019
Pattanaik did not stop here. His subsequent tweet taking a dig at the finance minister’s image as Goddes Laxmi read, “This picture is really really Bad Vaastu for economy. Madam should have NEVER allowed it. But who cares for opinions of lowly people like me who actually read the scriptures? Again apologies for crossing line.”
This picture is really really Bad Vaastu for economy. Madam should have NEVER allowed it. But who cares for opinions of lowly people like me who actually read the scriptures? Again apologies for crossing line . ?? https://t.co/5QRWqmYF8t
— Devdutt Pattanaik (@devduttmyth) October 13, 2019
Sitharaman could not resist her urge and reacted to Pattanaik’s tweet aimed at her. She wrote, “???”
— Nirmala Sitharaman (@nsitharaman) October 13, 2019
Many were left baffled as to why a country’s finance minister will respond to an innocuous tweet posted by a celebrated author. Others argued that only if Sitharaman had cared to respond to ordinary Twitter users’ concerns about the economy, India may have avoided a prolonged economic slowdown.
ED, CBI, IT raids will commence soon. Keep at least your aadhaar no ready @devduttmyth
— Rofl Republic (@i_theindian) October 13, 2019
Ignore ma’am, he is just a berozgar jyotishi. Please go and watch Joker to contribute to our economy. I mean the joker in cinema, not in PMO.
— Rofl Gandhi 2.0 (@RoflGandhi_) October 13, 2019
Mam please be like this, country needs you.
Thanks for all your efforts for making GDP growth 4% again.
You are the best FM I have ever heard. ?
— Chowkidar Nimo (@niiravmodi) October 13, 2019
All his words are true.
We need someone who knows about economics not someone who is arrogant and has no knowledge about economics— Shudh Desi Nationalist (@DesiNationalist) October 13, 2019
U have time to reply others but not to hardworking #bankers who’s wage revision is pending since 2 yrs
Mam please#cpcforbankers
— #Banker underpaid (@mhatrenchamayur) October 13, 2019
Dear @devduttmyth sir, you cannot say a damn now. People elected her . It is a law now! You cannot question 😉
— Tinu Cherian Abraham (@tinucherian) October 13, 2019
Pull up your socks Mam. People are even ok with someone like Su Swamy in your place. So just review yourself on where you stand.
— Lt Cdr Gokul (R) (@gokulchan) October 13, 2019
On Monday, Sitharaman’s husband had written a hard-hitting piece in The Hindu newspaper asking the central government to embrace the economic legacy of former Prime Ministers Narasimha Rao and Manmohan Singh.