Is 'aam aadmi' being targeted by misuse of chair? wonders Mamata banerjee

KOLKATA: In a veiled criticism of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's justification of reforms tonight, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee wondered if the power of the chair is being misused to "finish aam aadmi".

"I want to ask - what is the definition of aam aadmi? What is the definition of democracy? Is it not becoming clear that use of the name of aam aadmi, and misuse of power of chair, is to finish Aam Aadmi? Is it the game plan?" she said on her Facebook page.

Her comments came shortly after the Prime Minister, in a televised address to the nation, defended the recent decisions on FDI in retail and diesel price hike and said the time has come for "hard decisions" and asked the countrymen not to be misled by those trying to confuse them by spreading fear like in 1991.