Austerity high road not new to ‘simple’ Sonia,Rahul: Cong

Congress party cautioned against 'trivialising' the partys emphasis on austerity by limiting its scope to travel only.

Even as Congress president Sonia Gandhi on Monday sought to lead by example travelling economy class in a commercial flight to Mumbai and AICC general secretary Rahul Gandhi is scheduled to travel in a chair car of Shatabdi Express to go to Ludhiana on Tuesday,the ruling party on Monday cautioned against trivialising the partys emphasis on austerity by limiting its scope to travel only.

The Congress presidents simplicity is not a new thing for this country,neither for the people,nor for you. There is nothing to be surprised at (her travel in economy class). To be austere should not be reduced to one line of travel. It is a way of thinking,a way of living and an approach. In difficult times,it is necessary, AICC spokesperson Abhishek Manu Singhvi said at a press briefing here.

Responding to a query about Rahul recently travelling to Chennai by a special aircraft,Singhvi explained,If something is necessary,it is not forbidden. All of you know how Rahul conducts himself with simplicity. But if it is necessary,what can you do?

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Meanwhile,Punjab Youth Congress chief Ravneet Singh said in Ludhiana that Rahul will travel in the chair car of Shatabdi Express on Tuesday. Rahul will not travel in the executive class when he arrives from Delhi to inaugurate a Youth Congress camp.

Amid this race for austerity,External Affairs Minister S M Krishna said it has to be kept in mind that ministers should be able to attend meetings after long journeys. The austerity steps need to be looked into in a larger perspective. If a Cabinet minister has to travel for 15 hours,it needs to be kept in mind that after such a long journey he should be able to attend immediate meetings, Krishna told Star News.

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