Cong: Rs 5 listening tax for Modi rally

The Congress on Tuesday took a dig at the BJP for collecting an entry fee for Narendra Modis rally in Hyderabad next month,saying that the party was monetising democracy by collecting a listening tax.

Poking the BJP,Finance Minister P Chidambaram said that the Congress will not charge for rallies of Sonia Gandhi,Rahul Gandhi or Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. I would not react on what is the popularity measure of any other leader,but I assure you whenever the Congress does a rally whether by party president Sonia Gandhi,party vice-president Rahul Gandhi,or the PM,we will not charge Rs 5, he said.

His Cabinet colleague Manish Tewari was more acerbic. The Information and Broadcasting Minister said the Rs 5 fee showed the true value of Modi. Baba Pravachan Ticket Rs 100-100,000. Cinema ticket Rs 200-500 even for box office flop. Ticket to hear a CM Rs 5. Market discovers true value, Tewari said. BJPs listening tax Rs 5 maybe market discovery price. What would be speaking tax imposed on 1.2 billion? Monitising democracy/ pure fascism! he added.