New Delhi: Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Saturday while concluding her reply on the Budget discussion in Lok Sabha took on former Congress President and Member of Parliament Rahul Gandhi while the Opposition raised objection to the politicisation of the Budget reply.
Breaking Gandhi’s speech into 10 points that she took from the ‘foundation’ laying speech of the Congress MP, Sitharaman spoke of her expectations and disappointments evoked from Gandhi’s speech.
From Congress’ ‘U-turn’ on the farm reforms, to the party going back on its promise of loan waivers, to lies propagated about farm laws and respecting former Congress PM Manmohan Singh, Sitharaman tore into the Opposition for having a leader that disrespects the constitutional authority of institutions such as Parliament.
She intermittently spoke about the ‘foundation’ Gandhi spoke of while building his speech on farmers and farm issues and discussed his remarks threadbare.
The Finance Minister, while compartmentalizing Gandhi’s speech, responded to the MPs’ queries on Budget provisions including that of Gandhis. She met with much opposition from Congress and Left while speaking.
“I have responded to all and I will respond to Rahul Gandhi as well, as he raked up farm issues as part of Budget,” said Sitharaman.
“Congress U-turn on the farm laws — My expectation was that he would explain why the Congress did a U-turn when it was in their election manifesto. Congress needs to answer this. Those disbursing knowledge on farm laws have not waived off loans of farmers in the states they are in power. I thought he would explain why while he said he is laying the foundation of his budget speech,” Sitharaman said.
She further said she thought he would explain why Punjab chief minister was not ordered to repeal those laws and expected him to speak on stubble burning in Congress-ruled states, which did not happen.
“I expected, during laying the foundation, him to bring out one clause that will prove that farmers are being harmed because of this bill. During the President’s speech that had so much on marginal farmers, I expected him to announce that ‘hamare do’ will return the land taken away from farmers at throwaway prices and would say that he had directed ‘damad’ to return the land but it didn’t happen,” she added.
Sitharaman further said she thought Gandhi would speak about former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and remember him and respect him but it did not happen.
“I expected that he would tell me where the APMCs mandis were shut down. He disappointed us. My question as to why he chose to insult constitutional authorities. He insulted the Speaker as well but the Speaker was generous to let it go. He insulted Dr Manmohan Singh in the past,” she added.
She further asked why Gandhi built fake narratives to sign MoUs with parties and not with the government, and spoke with embassy of other countries.
“He does politics with fringe groups. He is becoming the Doomsday man for India,” she said.
Earlier on Thursday, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi while participating in the discussion on the Union Budget in Lok Sabha, had referred to the family planning slogan of ‘Hum do hamare do’ (we two and our two children), and alleged that the government was being run on this agenda and accused it of promoting “crony capitalism”.
