Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman presented the budget just a day earlier. Protesting this budget, the opposition has been aggressive from the streets to Parliament. Members of the opposition India Bloc held demonstrations before the proceedings of Parliament began. When the proceedings commenced, opposition members created a loud uproar in both houses. Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha, Mallikarjun Kharge, criticized the budget in the Upper House, saying that two plates have fritters, while the rest are empty.
Mallikarjun Kharge commented on the current state of proceedings in both the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha, stating that everyone is aware of the situation. He mentioned that he didn't want to get into that debate. He claimed that yesterday's budget only favored two states, leaving others with nothing. Kharge listed the names from Odisha to Delhi, expressing his disappointment that they had expected the most but received nothing. The opposition India Bloc MPs condemned this act, stating it was meant to please certain individuals.
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When Mallikarjun Kharge was speaking, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, who was present in the House, made some remarks. Kharge responded by saying, 'Hold on, Madam is an expert in speaking. I know that.' After Kharge's comments, the presiding chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar remarked, 'She is like your daughter.' Kharge then continued with his speech.
What did the Finance Minister say in response to the opposition's allegations?
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman responded to the opposition's allegations of a discriminatory budget in the Rajya Sabha. She said that every budget doesn't allow mentioning every state's name. The Cabinet had decided to build a port in Wadawan, Maharashtra, but Maharashtra was not mentioned in the budget. She questioned if it meant Maharashtra should feel neglected.
What did Nirmala Sitharaman say in Parliament about the allegations of regional discrimination by states?
The Finance Minister stated that if a specific state's name is mentioned in a speech, it doesn't mean that the Government of India's programs aren't reaching other states. She suggested that the opposition, led by Congress, was trying to create an impression that their states received nothing. She described this accusation as insulting.
