It was an embarrassing moment for Janata Dal (United)’s N.K. Singh during the FDI debate in the Rajya Sabha on Thursday after he sought to attribute a quote erroneously to economist John Kenneth Galbraith.
Mr. N.K. Singh had said that when somebody asked Mr. Galbraith to give an explanation for having changed his views on a subject, the latter had retorted that “when the facts change, I change my mind. What do you do, Sir?”
The Prime Minister corrected the bureaucrat-turned-politician, telling him that it was John Maynard Keynes.
“How can I argue with someone of your eminence,” Mr. N.K. Singh conceded.
The debate on the motion for withdrawal of FDI policy on multi-brand retail was replete with wisecracks and sharp political statements.
“I’m here not to speak in favour of Walmart by Agarwal Mart,” quipped Naresh Agarwal of the Samajwadi Party, underscoring his business lineage and rooting for the cause of domestic retailers.
