Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday, 25 February, attacked Congress leader Rahul Gandhi over his appeals to set up a fisheries ministry at the Centre. The PM expressed shock at the opposition leader’s ignorance, saying that such a ministry was set up by the Central government in 2019.
"I was absolutely shocked to hear a Congress leader come and say they want to start a fisheries ministry because there is none. The truth is that it already exists. The current NDA government has already set up a fisheries ministry back in 2019 itself," PM Modi said, ANI quoted.
Following the PM’s jab, the Wayanad MP took to social media platform Twitter and clarified, “Fisherfolk need an independent and dedicated ministry of fisheries, not just a department within a ministry.”
“PS: ‘Hum do Humare do’ obviously hurt bad,” he added, referring to his remark on the retitling of the newly inaugurated Narendra Modi stadium’s two bowling ends.
The Prime Minister is in the Union Territory of Puducherry ahead of the Assembly elections, for the inauguration of several developmental projects.
PM Modi’s rebukes on Thursday came after the Congress leader appealed for a fisheries ministry at the Centre on two different occasions. Rahul Gandhi had first mentioned the need for a Central ministry in Puducherry on 17 February, while addressing the fishermen as ‘farmers of the sea’.
Following Gandhi’s call, Union Fisheries Minister Giriraj Singh had corrected the leader, reminding him that there was already a fisheries ministry in place.
Later on Wednesday, in Kerala’s Kollam district, the Congress leader had spent an hour off the coast of the state and cast net with the fishermen. Elucidating on his experience of fishing he said, “They put their entire labour and fight the sea,” adding that, “While the farmers have a dedicated ministry, the fishermen do not have.”
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