But, in keeping with his no-nonsense attitude, the FM in his open reply to his daughter Sharmishta has “a piece of advice” — “Do not expect to have solutions to all the problems by just writing a letter to your father even though he happens to be the finance minister of the country.”
On the eve of the Budget, Sharmishta had written an open letter to her father demanding tax concession for artists, for individuals for adopting stray dogs, and a special tax incentive for her friends who refuse to come for dinner when she cooks. She had asked her father to heavily tax “roadside Romeos” and those found littering the streets.
Noting that he was “a bit surprised” when he read Munni’s open letter to him in a newspaper stating what her expectations from the Budget were, the FM adds, “I know you from the moment you opened your tiny mouth to take in your first breath and gave a hearty yell. Since then your mother and I learnt that we are not ingenious enough to make you keep your mouth shut for two minutes at a go. So it is not really correct to say that you were ‘silenced by my steely glance’ (I wish it was that simple)!”
Telling his daughter that “all advice given to you falls on deaf ears”, he adds, “I do hope that you read this letter and don’t shut your eyes as well.”
Mr Mukherjee said he was happy that in her letter Sharmishta had raised certain concerns, like animal welfare, security of women and the irresponsible social behaviour of some people. He tells his daughter that if she is seriously concerned about these issues, then she should be more pro-active in addressing these concerns.
Taking about his daughter’s cooking skills, Mr Mukherjee writes, “I wish to make no comment on your cooking. Only thing I may say that I empathise with your friends. As a father, I am left with no option other than to literally lump your food. As friends, they have the option to exercise their right to choose.”
On the issue of paying her pocket money, Mr Mukherjee says he is willing to look into the matter as long as she is willing to negotiate reasonably. “We may arrive at a sum through mutual consent but only if you promise to rationally discuss the matter and not try to get your way through emotional blackmail,” he adds.
Pawan Bali and Parul Chandra