Ridiculous comparison says Karti Chidambaram after Tejasvi Surya says MPs like doctors, soldiers

Team Udayavani, Mar 19, 2020, 1:12 PM IST

Bengaluru: Congress MP Karti Chidambaram hit out at BJP MP from Bengaluru south Tejasvi Surya in response to a tweet where he wrote if doctors, healthcare workers, soldiers at borders and airport staff are functioning braving against Coronavirus, shouldn’t the MPs be doing their duties as well?

It all began with Congress MP Shashi Tharoor commenting on members having to sit close together in parliament despite having to advise social distancing precautions to others.

Taking to Twitter Shashi Tharoor wrote, ” Ironic that Members of Parliament, who must exhort their constituents to take necessary precautions against COVID19, continue to congregate in Parliament, where they sit cheek-by-jowl on narrow benches. Far from “practice what you preach”, MPs’ msg is: ‘do as I say,not as I do!'”

Ironic that Members of Parliament, who must exhort their constituents to take necessary precautions against #COVID19, continue to congregate in Parliament, where they sit cheek-by-jowl on narrow benches. Far from “practice what you preach”, MPs’ msg is: “do as I say,not as I do!”

— Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) March 18, 2020

The BJP’s Tejasvi Surya responded, “Sir, MPs aren’t special. If our doctors, healthcare workers, soldiers at borders and airport staff are functioning braving all odds, shouldn’t we be doing our duties as well? Precaution is important but not panic. India under PM is setting global standards in handling #COVID19.”

Sir, MPs aren’t special.

If our doctors, healthcare workers, soldiers at borders & airport staff are functioning braving all odds, shouldn’t we be doing our duties as well? Precaution is important but not panic.

India under PM is setting global standards in handling #COVID19 https://t.co/fHzQ6BCUor

— Tejasvi Surya (@Tejasvi_Surya) March 18, 2020

Responding to Tejasvi’s comment, Karti Chidambaram wrote, “To equate MPs with emergency health workers is outright ridiculous. I salute the health workers for their commitment/dedication. But there is no justification for parliament to function and congregate. If everything other congregation is downsized why is parliament an exception?”

To equate MPs with emergency health workers is outright ridiculous. I salute the health workers for their commitment/dedication. But there is no justification for parliament to function and congregate. If every other congregation is downsized why is parliament an exception?

— Karti P Chidambaram (@KartiPC) March 19, 2020

COVID-19 cases are rising in the country, members have argued in parliament over whether or not to cut short the session. However, Parliament has been sanitized and members go through thermal screening before entering.