Chidambaram gets family to post Twitter message, expresses concern over state of economy

“I am deeply concerned about the economy. The poor are the worst affected,” veteran Congress leader Chidambaram said on his Twitter account

P. Chidambaram. File

Senior Congress leader P. Chidambaram on September 11 expressed concern over the state of economy and questioned the government on its plan to get the country out of this “decline and gloom”.

Mr. Chidambaran, who was sent to judicial custody in Tihar Jail last week for alleged corruption given to INX Media when he was Union Finance Minister, asked his family to post a message from him on Twitter.

The former Finance Minister also lauded the capacity of the poor people to distinguish between justice and injustice.

“I have asked my family to tweet on my behalf the following: Thank you all for your support. I must say I am amazed by the capacity of the poor [who I have had the chance to meet and interact with over the last few days] to distinguish between justice and injustice,” he tweeted.

“I am deeply concerned about the economy. The poor are the worst affected. Lower, fewer jobs, less trade and lower investment affect the poor and the middle class. Where is the plan to get the country out of this decline and gloom,” the veteran Congress leader asked on his Twitter account.

Mr. Chidambaram on September 9 asked his family to post a message from him on Twitter. He urged authorities not to arrest officers who were involved in giving clearances to INX Media when he was finance minister, saying none of them done anything wrong.

He was put behind bars last Thursday, hours after a CBI court sent him to two-week judicial custody in the INX Media case, an unprecedented setback for the Congress veteran who even offered to surrender to the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in a desperate attempt to be spared the ignominy of going to prison.

The CBI registered an FIR on May 15, 2017, alleging irregularities in the Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) clearance granted to the INX Media group for receiving overseas funds of ₹305 crore in 2007 during Chidambaram’s tenure as Finance Minister.

Thereafter, the ED lodged a money laundering case in this regard in 2017.

INX Media had sought the FIPB clearances on March 13, 2007, for permission to issue, by way of preferential allotment, up to 14.98 equity shares to three non-resident entities — Dunearn, NSR PE and New Veron Pvt. Equity Ltd.