‘Puratchithalaivi’ gives Lok Sabha some light moments

NEW DELHI: The AIADMK salutation "Pratchithalaivi Tamil Tai Amma" seems to have caught the imagination of the Lok Sabha. There were some moments of laughter in the lower House on Friday after an AIADMK leader quintessentially began his question on import of Chinese goods with "Pratchithalaivi Tamil Tai Amma".

As if participating in the collective mirth of the House, commerce minister Nirmala Sitharaman replied in the same vein in Tamil saying "Puraichithalaivi Amma's" letter had been received and government was working on it.

The entire House, from treasury to opposition benches, started thumping the desk and chanting "Amma Amma". This was, perhaps, the first instance when a minister had replied to a question in Tamil in the House.

AIADMK MP T Radhakrishnan, speaking in Tamil, had raised the matter of Chinese crackers being brought illegally into India harming the domestic industry in Sivakasi in Tamil Nadu that virtually caters to the entire demand of firecrackers in the country.

He referred to Tamil Nadu chief minister J Jayalalitha's letters to the Centre in this regard and wanted to know what action has been taken.

Sitharaman, who hails from Tamil Nadu and is married into a Telugu family in Andhra Pradesh, sought the chair's permission to reply in Tamil. "The letter sent by Puraichithalaivi Amma (revolutionary leader amma) has been received. Necessary action will be taken in response," she said in Tamil as Finance Minister Arun Jaitley was seen grinning. The entire House, meanwhile, thumped desk and laughed.