This is apropos your editorial titled “Let them eat chicken”. One could understand Marie Antoinette, the spoiled second youngest child of Emperor Francis 1 of Austria married at age of 14 years and 5 months to Louis- Auguste, heir to throne of France, eventually becoming Queen of France in 1774, brought up in lavish royalty, totally unrelated to reality for uttering absurdity “Let them eat cake”, in response to protesting citizens. She was blamed for ruining national finances and nicknamed “Madame Deficit”.
However coming from the democratically elected finance minister on floor of National Assembly “Let them eat chicken” while responding to phenomenal rise in Daal Mash’s prices, it is shocking. He could have given any other explanation, which would not tend to be mocking in nature, hurting sensitivity of millions living below poverty line, who expect government to tax rich and subsidise basic food items, instead of offering endless tax amenities to affluent rich or offering subsidy to Sugar Mill owners to cover up loss in international prices.
Perhaps too much power has taken its toll, or maybe fast track shift from lower middle class to riding in Lamborghini has cast its spell. One wonders why such repulsive absurdities are not uttered by likes of Bill Gates etc. I am sure CM Shahbaz Sharif or PM himself would not have made this mistake.
Malik Tariq
Lahore