Fact Check: Media Reports On Sitharaman's Comment On Rising Onion Prices Taken Out Of Context
A video of Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman is going viral on various social media platforms, where one can hear she replying that she doesn’t eat a lot of onions and comes from a family where onions and garlic really don’t matter.
Full Context Of Nirmala Sitharaman’s Comment, On Rising Onion Prices In Lok Sabha
Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman’s comment in Lok Sabha on Wednesday, December 4, that she doesn’t eat onions was blown out of proportion by various media houses. In fact, while the Minister was responding to NCP leader Supriya Sule’s question on rising onion prices, she was interrupted by an MP who asked if she ate onions imported from Egypt. It was in response to this that Sitharaman said, “I don’t eat a lot of onions and garlic, so don’t worry. I come from a family that has little to do with onions.”Nirmala Sitharaman #onionprices
The Logical Indian ಅವರಿಂದ ಈ ದಿನದಂದು ಪೋಸ್ಟ್ ಮಾಡಲಾಗಿದೆ ಗುರುವಾರ, ಡಿಸೆಂಬರ್ 5, 2019
Very soon after this statement came out in the public domain there has been a huge public outrage and almost all the media reported it without putting it in context and insinuated that Finance Minister is not bothered about rising onion prices because she doesn’t eat it.
Since the news got out, social media users have been outraged over her comment.
Aap ki desh bhakti par sak nahin he par aap ki arthik niti ke liye jethli ji jaise koi Finance minister layiye Nirmala…
Parash Nath Pathal ಅವರಿಂದ ಈ ದಿನದಂದು ಪೋಸ್ಟ್ ಮಾಡಲಾಗಿದೆ ಬುಧವಾರ, ಡಿಸೆಂಬರ್ 4, 2019
Nirmala Sitaram should be dismissed from her post as, She is not capable enough for any post i.e Neither Defence nor Finance.
Santu Dhar ಅವರಿಂದ ಈ ದಿನದಂದು ಪೋಸ್ಟ್ ಮಾಡಲಾಗಿದೆ ಗುರುವಾರ, ಡಿಸೆಂಬರ್ 5, 2019
Q. What is the similarity between Taste of Onion and Basics of Economics?A. Both are unknown to our Finance Minister.
Kanishka Bhattacharya ಅವರಿಂದ ಈ ದಿನದಂದು ಪೋಸ್ಟ್ ಮಾಡಲಾಗಿದೆ ಬುಧವಾರ, ಡಿಸೆಂಬರ್ 4, 2019
https://twitter.com/Rajat_since1119/status/1202498859739385856?ref_src=twsrc^tfw|twcamp^tweetembed|twterm^1202498859739385856&ref_url=https://www.indiatoday.in/trending-news/story/nirmala-sitharaman-says-she-doesn-t-eat-a-lot-of-onions-twitter-has-best-jokes-1625486-2019-12-05
She don't care!#SayItLikeNirmalaTai #OnionPrices pic.twitter.com/PwG4r6DOYv
— Pankaj Gupta (@PankajG026) December 5, 2019
Bcz her favourite dish is aalo halwa.
Period.#SayItLikeNirmalaTai pic.twitter.com/jCVcNPrNAn— Rebellious flower �� (@flawsome_guy) December 5, 2019
P Chidambaram, former Finance Minister of India also took a jibe at this statement of the current Finance Minister.
"Does she eat avocado?": P Chidambaram throws shade at finance minister
Read more here: https://t.co/biraXPq634 pic.twitter.com/9nV1WCtyIJ
— NDTV (@ndtv) December 5, 2019
Fact Check
This viral statement of her came in just at the time when Finance Minister Sitharaman was about to answer a question on the issue of continuous decline in the onion production in this country, raised by Supriya Sule. However, before the Finance Minister could say anything, an MP shouted on her asking whether she ate Egyptian onions. The question was raised by the parliamentarian with reference to the decision of the central government approval to import onions from Egypt for controlling the onion price and improving the domestic supply. While giving a reply to that she said, “I don’t eat much garlics and onions, so don’t worry. I come from a family where onions and garlics are not used that much.”
Also we found out that she never said, ‘It doesn’t matter to me’.
The video clip also is upload on youtube by Loksatta TV on Youtube. Later Nirmala Sitharaman too tweeted, a small portion of the video clip clarifying that her statement was being quoted ‘out of context and is misleading.’
Here is the full video of Smt @nsitharaman explaining in detail the steps taken by the govt. to control onion prices and provide relief to the common man. A part of this video clip is being quoted out of context and is misleading. pic.twitter.com/56MLd1gKpU
— NSitharamanOffice (@nsitharamanoffc) December 5, 2019
Conclusion
This statement of Sitharaman seems insensitive and insensible when taken out of context and put in isolation. But her reply was to the MP and her answer cannot be projected as ‘she is not personally worried about rising prices as she is not a consumer’, as blown out of proportion by various media houses and netizens.
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