BJP lawmaker Subramanian Swamy said that if he “disregarded discipline there will be a bloodbath” in the Finance Ministry. (Reuters File Photo)
BJP lawmaker Subramanian Swamy’s tweets today on a “bloodbath” were seen as a response to Finance Minister Arun Jaitley even though he took no names.
“People giving me unasked for advice of discipline and restraint don’t realise that if I disregard discipline there would be a bloodbath,” he tweeted.
Mr Jaitely had earlier commented on “discipline of Indian politicians” and questioned, “To what extent should we attack those, the discipline and constraints of whose offices prevent them from responding? And this has happened more than once.”
The Finance Minister was responding to Mr Swamy’s attacks on Chief Economic Adviser Arvind Subramanian earlier this week. Yesterday, Mr Jaitley also reacted strongly to Mr Swamy’s criticism of Economic Affairs Secretary Shaktikanta Das, calling it an “unfair and false attack on a disciplined civil servant in the finance ministry.”
Mr Swamy this morning also tweeted: “BJP should direct our Ministers to wear traditional and modernised Indian clothes while abroad. In coat and tie they look like waiters.”
This was seen by some as another dig at Mr Jaitley, who was seen in a suit in newspaper photographs from Beijing.
Top BJP leaders are reportedly not happy with Mr Swamy’s statements and sources assert that the party’s ideological mentor Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) is not using him to target leaders.
“Party discipline is paramount. No one can get away by saying these are personal views,” sources said.
