Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman today took a swipe at Congress party in Rajya Sabha during the discussion on Union Budget. Hitting out at the Opposition, Sitharaman said that they keep blaming the government of working for cronies, ignoring all the work that the Narendra Modi government has so far done for the poor and underprivileged.
Detailing the accounts of various government programmes, she said that the Opposition has been creating a false narrative.
“It has now become a sort of habit for some in the Opposition to constantly allege, in spite of what we are doing for the poor and the steps taken for helping the poor and needy of this country, a false narrative is created to accuse the government saying that this government works only for cronies,” said the FM.
Taking a swipe at Congress, she said, “More than Rs 27,000 crores loans have been sanctioned under Mudra Yojana. Who takes Mudra Yojana? Damads?” she said in Rajya Sabha, in an apparent reference to UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi’s son-in-law Robert Vadra.
After Congress members objected to her remark, she said, “Damad, I don’t think it is the trademark of Indian National Congress. Damad har ghar me hota hai. Magar Damad Indian National Congress mein ek specialised naam hai,” Sitharaman said.
Countering the opposition with figures, the finance minister said that the benefits of PM Awas Yojana and PM Saubhagya Yojana are not for the rich and are being given to the poor. “Over 1.67 crore houses completed under PM Awas Yojana. Is it for the rich? Over 2.67 cr households have been electrified under PM Saubhagya Yojana since October 2017. The total value of orders placed on Govt e-market is Rs 8,22,077 crore. Are they being given to big companies? They’re being given to MSMEs,” she said.
Congress has been accusing the Modi government of bringing a budget which is detrimental to the poor and helps only some capitalist friends of the government.
Rajya Sabha has been adjourned till March 8 after today’s proceedings.