Congress leader Rahul Gandhi while speaking in Solai Nagar area of Puducherry on Wednesday said that fishermen are the "farmers of the sea" and questioned "why is it that the farmers of the sea don’t have a ministry in Delhi?" His comments drew ridicule as India has a Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying.
Slamming the Central government over the farm bills, Gandhi said, "Government passed three bills against farmers, the backbone of a nation. You must be wondering why am I talking about farmers at meeting of fishermen. I consider you to be farmers of the sea. If farmers of the land can have their ministry in Delhi, then why is it that the farmers of the sea don’t have a ministry in Delhi?"
He further added, "Next time I come here I want to go with you in the fishing boat to see what you experience so that when I go back to Delhi, I can truly understand what farmers of Puducherry feel."
Gandhi's comparison soon drew flak from Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders, including Union ministers, who took to Twitter to mock the Congress leader over his oblivious statement regarding the ministry of fisheries.
Caro @girirajsinghbjp Sanno solo una cosa. Diffondere bugie, paura e disinformazione. https://t.co/mBY7amqcqX — Smriti Z Irani (@smritiirani) February 17, 2021
श्री @RahulGandhi जी.. ये मिनिस्ट्री है @FisheriesGoI ये मिनिस्टर हैं @girirajsinghbjp और ये फिर एक बार, झूठ की राजनीति के चक्कर में,@INCIndia ‘पार्टी’ की किरकिरी हो रही है pic.twitter.com/s079SoP9Kf — Anurag Thakur (@ianuragthakur) February 17, 2021
If Rahul Gandhi spent some time in India instead of being on vacation & coming to India only for elections, he wouldn't have made this mistake. pic.twitter.com/daY33DvTP8 — Political Kida (@PoliticalKida) February 17, 2021
राहुल जी ! आपको इतना तो पता ही होना चाहिए कि 31 मई,2019 को ही मोदी जी ने नया मंत्रालय बना दिया। और 20050 Cr रुपए की महायोजना (PMMSY) शुरू की जो आज़ादी से लेकर 2014 के केन्द्र सरकार के खर्च (3682 cr) से कई गुना ज़्यादा है। https://t.co/eV39avbeDt — Shandilya Giriraj Singh (@girirajsinghbjp) February 17, 2021
Caro Raul (@RahulGandhi), Non esiste un Ministero della pesca separato in Italia. Viene sotto Ministero delle Politiche Agricole e Forestali. https://t.co/Lv9x3r8ozK — Shandilya Giriraj Singh (@girirajsinghbjp) February 17, 2021
A woman complains to @RahulGandhi in #Pondicherry that CM @VNarayanasami never visited/helped them during cyclones. But CM Narayanasami shamelessly translates it to Rahul as that woman is appreciating him for his work during floods. Never knew Rahul can be this easily cheated. pic.twitter.com/ntDd0Ilrnp — SG Suryah (@SuryahSG) February 17, 2021
"Mr Pappu @RahulGandhi please take some tuitions from Manmohan Singh ji or @PChidambaram_IN ji, about the departments and ministries in GoI, (Their is already a department of fisheries under the animal husbandry ministry) और इनको देश चलाना हैं!♂️ pic.twitter.com/C544vDZcwU — Devang Dave (@DevangVDave) February 17, 2021
Thread: When I met the @min_FAHD Shri @girirajsinghbjp Ji on 12th Feb along with delegation of @BJP4AnN,I was amazed by the dedication & keen awareness with which he has been leading the ministry. Modi govt dedicated a new ministry for the fisheries sector on 31st May,2019. — Y. Satya Kumar (@satyakumar_y) February 17, 2021
#FYI Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying was newly created in May / June 2019 by @narendramodi Government. Formerly it was just a department under the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare. Sh. @girirajsinghbjp is the Union Minister for @Min_FAHD — Siddharth Shirole (@SidShirole) February 17, 2021
The Ministry for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying was established by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in May 2019 and is currently headed by Union Minister Giriraj Singh.
