Sushma’s replies were hot potatoes

When she rose to speak on Wednesday, Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Sushma Swaraj tore into the Treasury benches on the issue of FDI in multi-brand retail. Her “right to reply” was hard-hitting and witty. Her first target was communications minister Kapil Sibal, who led the debate in the Lok Sabha in support of the government’s policy to bring in FDI in retail. Waving a copy of his speech, Ms Swaraj pointed out various “contradictions”. She began decimating the minister’s speech by claiming that it was “not clear whether Sibal was in favour or against FDI in retail”. She spoke of Mr Sibal’s dilemma. “While people from his Lok Sabha constituency (Chandni Chowk) are against FDI, the government is in favour,” Ms Swaraj said, glancing at the minister, who was now trying to gauge the line of attack. “Kabhi boond ke idhar aur kabhi udhar... bach bach ke chal rahe the (At times he was this side of the line and then on the other. He was treading cautiously),” she said amidst a roar of laughter. “Mr Sibal says that Walmart would not be able to open its store in Chandni Chowk. In fact, Walmart would not be able to open anywhere in Delhi because of the cost factor. The economics of trying to open a store in Delhi would work against Walmart and therefore it would have to go to the NCR region,” she quoted from the minister’s address to the House on Tuesday.