Is Modi govt so feeble it can be toppled by stray statement of a 92-year-old: Chidambaram on Soros
New Delhi, Feb 18: Senior Congress leader P Chidambaram on Saturday said labelling remarks by George Soros as an 'attempt to topple the democratically elected government in India' was a puerile statement.
He wondered if the Modi government was "so feeble" that it can be toppled by a stray statement of a 92-year-old rich foreign national.
Chidambaram's statement came after the BJP reacted angrily to remarks made by Soros on Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the Munich Security conference, alleging that Soros was targeting the Indian democratic system so that people "hand-picked" by him get to run the government here.
"The people of India will determine who will be in and who will be out of the government of India.
"I did not know that the Modi government was so feeble that it can be toppled by the stray statement of a 92-year-old rich foreign national," Chidambaram said in a series of tweets.
He also alleged that the Modi government's policies have created oligopolies instead of ushering in competition.
"I did not agree with most of what George Soros had said in the past and I do not agree with most of what he says now. But to label his remarks as an 'attempt to topple the democratically elected government in India' is a puerile statement," Chidambaram noted.
"Ignore George Soros and listen to Nouriel Roubini. Roubini warned that India is 'increasingly driven by large private conglomerates that can potentially hamper competition and kill new entrants'," he said.
The former finance minister said Liberalisation was to usher in an open, competitive economy.
"The Modi government's policies have created oligopolies," he said.
In his remarks, Soros had said the turmoil engulfing industrialist Gautam Adani's business empire may open the door to a democratic revival in India.
The Congress on Friday said whether the Adani issue will spark a democratic revival in the country depends entirely on the grand old party and other opposition parties, and has nothing to do with billionaire investor George Soros.
The people of India will determine who will be in and who will be out of the government of India
— P. Chidambaram (@PChidambaram_IN) February 18, 2023
I did not know that the Modi government was so feeble that it can be toppled by the stray statement of a 92 year old rich foreign national
Liberalisation was to usher in an open, competitive economy. The Modi government's policies have created oligopolies
— P. Chidambaram (@PChidambaram_IN) February 18, 2023
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Trump rushed out of dinner event after shots fired; one arrested
Washington (PTI): US President Donald Trump and other top White House officials were evacuated unharmed from the annual dinner of White House correspondents after a man armed with multiple weapons fired shots outside the ballroom of the hotel.
The incident took place at around 8:34 PM local time when dinner was served. At that time, Trump was seen having a conversation with Weijia Jiang, the President of the White House Correspondents' Association, and mentalist Oz Pearlman, who was scheduled to present a show at the marquee event at the Washington Hilton here.
Secret Service officials and other security personnel covered the President, First Lady Melania Trump, Vice President J D Vance, and the Second Lady Usha Vance, who were seated at the head table, and escorted them out of the ballroom.
Several guests at the dinner, including leaders across the political spectrum, journalists and other invitees, ducked under the table, apparently as a reflex reaction.
Putting up a brave face, President Trump later announced on Truth Social that the dinner would be rescheduled within 30 days.
“Boom, boom, boom, boom is all that I heard, and many guests ducked under the table,” a C-SPAN reporter at the dinner said.
Hours later, Trump addressed a press conference at the White House and announced that the security personnel had captured one person who hails from California.
“I heard a noise and sort of thought it was a tray going down. I've heard that many times. It was a pretty loud noise, and it was from quite far away. He (the attacker) hadn't reached the area at all. They really got him,” Trump told reporters, recalling the incident.
Trump said one security officer was shot at but saved as he was wearing a bulletproof vest.
Several protestors had lined up on the road outside the hotel, raising slogans against the Trump administration and Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth.
A CNN reporter who was outside the ballroom at the Washington Hilton said he saw a gunman opening fire just a few feet away. He was among the dozens of attendees who took cover as law enforcement swarmed the venue.
The suspect has been identified as 31-year-old Cole Tomas Allen from California.
Asked how Saturday’s incident impacts him as the US president, Trump told reporters he is in a dangerous job but that he is no “basket case.”
“I like not to think about it. I lead a pretty normal life, considering, you know, it’s a dangerous life. I think I handle it as well as it can be handled,” Trump said.
Trump has survived two assassination attempts over the past two years – first at a presidential election campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, on July 13, 2024, and later in Palm Beach, Florida, on September 15, 2024.
“I will say you had Republicans, Democrats, independents, conservatives, liberals, and progressives...everybody in that room, big crowd, record-setting crowd,” he said.
“We had some great work done by law enforcement, but in light of this evening's events, I ask that all Americans recommit with their hearts in resolving our differences peacefully,” Trump said.
