At a post-Budget press conference held in the national capital Wednesday morning, the Finance Minister’s “made light” of Rahul Gandhi’s accusation that the government had delivered a “zero-sum budget” for the middle class, farmers and the poor.
When Ms Sitharaman was asked to comment on Mr Gandhi’s attack, she said: “I think he has not understood the Budget at all.. this is the typical UP type of mentality…”
As the two sides exchanged barbs, the Opposition has now accused her of insulting the people of Uttar Pradesh and demands an apology.
“There is despair all around our country, our youth have no future and once again the Modi govt’s budget completely ignores this painful reality. #Budget2022,” Mr Gandhi said in a post on Instagram. “M0di G0vernment’s Zer0 Sum Budget! Nothing for – Salaried class, Middle class, the poor and deprived, Youth, Farmers and MSMEs (sic),” he said on Twitter.
Minister of State for Finance Pankaj Chaudhary, who is also an MP from Uttar Pradesh, said “probably, Rahul Gandhi did not understand the budget, which is futuristic”.
