Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman’s husband Parakala Prabhakar again embarrasses her by ridiculing her economic policy and comments on the fall of revenue in the Goods and Services Tax (GST). This is the second time Finance Minister’s husband (estranged?) who is also an economist embarrasses her. In October 2019, Prabhakar wrote an article in ‘The Hindu’ newspaper on the chaos in Indian Economy, attacking his Finance Minister wife[1]. It was interesting that their daughter Vangmayi was working in ‘The Hindu’ newspaper at that time.
This time Nirmala invited the wrath of her husband for terming Corona Pandemic as “Act of God” by not transferring the GST revenue shares to the States. Apart from Parakala Prabhakar, many right-thinking people believe that Nirmala Sitaraman’s speech at GST Council was so bad and her suggestion to the States to borrow money was so atrocious. On Thursday, husband Parakala Prabhakar tweeted against wife and Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman. He also quoted his October 2019 article in the tweet:
Real ‘Act of God’ is lack of coherent set of ideas in the govt to respond to macro-economic challenges. Covid is a late comer.
What I said in Oct ’19 on govt’s denial mode is vindicated by 23.9% contraction.
Do something at least now, for God’s sake.https://t.co/3S6ihU8EIe— Parakala Prabhakar (@parakala) September 3, 2020
Who is Parakala Prabhakar?
Parakala Prabhakar (61) was Congress students’ wing National Student Union’s (NSUI) Unit President of the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) in 1983. He fell in love with Nirmala Sitharaman (or vice versa) who also landed in the University to pursue her MPhil studies. Those days’ he was one of the backroom boys of the powerful Union Minister P V Narasimha Rao. His father was a Minister for 20 years in Congress Governments in Andhra Pradesh and his mother was a many-time Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) of Congress. Prabhakar was elevated as the National Vice President of NSUI till he left for London with his wife Nirmala in 1986 to pursue studies in the London School of Economics (LSE). He completed his Doctorate studies and returned back to India in 1991 when his mentor Narasimha Rao became the Prime Minister and was Officer on Special Duty (OSD) in the Rajiv Gandhi Institute for Youth Development. Later, in 1994 & 1996, he contested the Andhra Pradesh Assembly elections as a Congress candidate and lost. In 1997, he joined the BJP and contested from the Narasapur Lok Sabha Constituency in 1998 and lost there too. He also lost a Vidhan Sabha election in 2006. He was a spokesperson of BJP’s Andhra Pradesh unit for some time.
Rise of Nirmala Sitharaman
Meanwhile in 2003, during the National Democratic Alliance (NDA)-1 regime, Nirmala Sitharaman from nowhere was posted as a Member in the National Women’s Commission. Obviously due to the lobbying of husband Parakala Prabhakar, who was already in the BJP from 1997. In 2008, Parakala Prabhakar joined film star Chiranjeevi-floated political outfit Prajarajyam Party and soon after, he joined the Telugu Desam Party. Meanwhile, Nirmala was sighted around the BJP’s Delhi Headquarters as the former Prime Minister Vajpayee’s “official biographer” in late 2009. She could always be seen in Arun Jaitley’s office and by early 2010, she became an official spokesperson of the BJP. The rest, as they say, is history and we have seen the meteoric rise of Nirmala with the blessings of her Godfather, the late Finance Minister Arun Jaitley.
When BJP came back to power in 2014 at the Centre, Nirmala became a Union Minister and her estranged husband Parakala Prabhakar became the NDA-ally, Naidu Government’s Communication Advisor with a Cabinet Minister Rank. Eyebrows were raised when a National War Memorial contract of around Rs.250 crores was given to a Hyderabad based company NCC Ltd (earlier Nagarjuna Constructions) when Nirmala Sitharaman was the Defence Minister. After the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) left the BJP alliance due to allegations raised by Jagan Mohan Reddy, Parakala resigned from the Communication Advisor’s post.
Nirmala and Prabhakar Estranged?
The repeated criticism of Nirmala Sitharaman by her husband Parkala Prabhakar suggests that they are estranged. Otherwise, no loving husband will tweet against his wife. Their last united photo was a selfie after coming out from polling booth in Hyderabad after voting in May 2014 Lok Sabha elections. What could be the reason? Normally any sensible husband who is also a politician, of a lady who is Finance Minister and was also Defence and Commerce Minister will butter up his wife, regardless of the domestic problems. We don’t know why Prabhakar is embarrassing Nirmala. Only time will tell.
References:
[1] Husband embarrasses Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, BJP and the Government – Oct 15, 2019, PGurus.com
Prabhakar has edge over Nirmala in intellect, qualification and experience as an economist.
His view is to see India as a Nation with unity in diversity.
What a shameless narrative ( last para) looks like written by a female.
Act of God is a common expression used at SEA. It also finds a validity in Marine Law.
Agreeably it is difficult to understand the implications unless one experiences it.
They are two separate individuals. Why not we concede each individual to hold or express their personal perception and views freely? Hope neither of them is asking media or social activists to mediate.
Corona is Act of Communist China
Prabhakar is correct in advising the BJP to embrace free market economy and shun Nehruvian socialism, which caused tremendous under development of India.
What kind of article is this? Is it author’s case that Nirmala Sitaraman’s wife should not criticize her just because he is her husband? Why is the author saying that Nirmala’s husband should butter her. The issues more than husband-wife relationships are important here. In UK parliament, it is common for a ruling party member to criticize his own government or vote against a bill proposed by the government. This can never happen in India. Oh sorry, it may still be possible in India what with BJP doing Operation Kamal and courts looking the other way…
Think he was beng mild. NS is the loses and the most useless FM this country has ever had. She has created a new economic low in the country. Wonder why the 56 inch chest is not kicking her out and replacing her with Subramaniam Swamy. He does not like to get challenged by someone with a superior brain.
Spot on!
Question is on the nose dived Indian Economy. Not relationships.Much before covid19 our economy was on Eailway Platform. Tea flavor has gone down.
Much popular 74% ratings on 56″ wala is not true if compared with ground realities.
Head of the Govt does not like educated. talented and skill-full to be in his cabinet because of his many foreign tours convinced him that Dr.S.Swamy’s theories are not workable under his opaque scheme of things and digital economy of Cong-I and Hillary Clinton’s laptops hammering economic deals/massive NPAs Rs.53 Lakh crore of two UPA govts and 56″ wala majboot 6 years sarkars’s are being written off as per the political expediency/conveniences under RBI Governor with History PG degree was chosen ………………….!. Dr.S.Swamy is a straight forward and solution providing brain and has been an “ace achiever” of many good things for the country.
He is embarrassing Nirmala cause he is a true patriot and great economist, who knows this government is misleading its people.
If a husband holds a view contrary to his wife or vice versa, specially if both are in politics of some sort, it does not mean that they are estranged. They may be living separately because of their need to live in separate cities due to their occupations.
I am sorry for both. Prabhakar and Nirmala are good souls. Prabhakar should not have come out in open against Nirmala. Sad.