Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, while presenting the Union Budget 2020 on Saturday, followed the tradition of reciting poetry during her speech.

This year, Sitharaman chose to recite the verses of noted 20th Century Kashmiri poet, Dina Nath Kaul.

The Finance Minister recited Kaul’s ‘Myon Watan’ (My Nation) poem and then translated it in Hindi.

“Humara watan, khilte hue Shalimar bagh jaise, humara watan Dal mein khilte hue kamal jaisa, nau jawanon ke garam khoon jaisa…(Our nation is like a blooming Shalimar Bagh, like a lotus blooming in Dal lake, like the passion of youth…),” the poem that Sitharaman reads.

Sitharaman’s choice of Kashmiri poem is significant as this is the first budget since the abrogation of Article 370 that gave special status to Jammu and Kashmir.

Since the poem bears the mention of ‘Lotus blooming in Dal lake’, it can be seen as a symbolic message that BJP is making inroads in the Valley.

Kashmiri writer Dina Nath Kaul Nadim was born in Srinagar in 1916 and passed away on April 8, 1988. He mostly wrote in the Kashmiri language and his first Kashmiri poem in 1942 was dedicated to the valley — “Maej Kashir” (Mother Kashmir).

He was also honoured with the Sahitya Academy Award in 1986 for “Shihul Kul”, a collection of his poems.

The Budget speech by the Finance Minister is being keenly watched by members of all different parties in the Parliament. Investors, service-class, business community are also glued to their television sets to hear every word being narrated by her.

In her budget speech, which is ongoing as of now, Finance Minister Sitharaman has also stated that efforts made in the last five years and the enthusiasm and energy of our youth are the ignition of the country’s growth.

(With agency inputs)