In it together

As the members of Opposition parties continue to flay Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his frequent tours abroad, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav, who has been engaged in a game of one-upmanship with Modi, has remained uncharacteristically quiet. One reason, say observers, could be that Yadav himself has taken flak for his frequent trips abroad. In fact, he is currently on an official tour in France with a battery of top officers to explore prospects of joint ventures in the field of perfumery. Last month, he visited the Hannover Trade Fair in Germany. Of course, Yadav has repeatedly said the result of a foreign tour should be measured by the investment it helps attract.