Click to play videoNew Delhi: One may dismiss it as another Bushism, but the Indian politicians aren't willing to do so.
After US President George Bush expressed concern over a prosperous Indian middle class eating so much that it is causing food to become more expensive in American supermarkets, the Indian political leaders are an angry lot.
If the Bush's brand of economics is to be believed, then India's growing middle class is responsible for food prices shooting up in the US.
"There are 350-million middle class people in India. They are more than the population of America. When you get wealth, you start demanding better nutrition, more food. They want to eat well so our food prices are rising," George Bush said.
His comment almost exactly echoed his Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice earlier this week.
But Bush's comments have not gone down well with the Indian politicians.
"We must certainly send out a message to the United States of America that we are going to look after the welfare of our own people," says Communist Party of India-Marxist Politburo member Brinda Karat.
And the Congress, accused by the Left of being soft on America, can't stomach Bush's reasoning either.
Union Minister of State for Power Jairam Ramesh and Congress spokesperson Jairam Ramesh says, "George Bush has never been known for his knowledge of economics. I think this just proves how comprehensively wrong he is."
Both US and India are in the threshold of elections and inflation is certainly a key factor in deciding which way the votes will swing.
(With inputs from Arijit Sen and Neha Seth)
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