New Delhi: Finance Minister Arun Jaitley sat down half an hour into the Budget speech in the Lok Sabha due to health related complications and then continued reading it out. In the beginning Speaker Sumitra Mahajan told Jaitley that he could sit and read the Budget if he was not in a position to stand and read out the text.
But, the Finance Minister politely declined her offer and continued the presentation of the Budget standing for the first 30 minutes. But soon after, he sought for the permission of the Speaker to sit and read out the speech. Jaitley had taken an unprecedented break during his first budget speech in June 2014 due to some health issues and had continued reading it after a brief adjournment of the House.
Again in February 2015, he sat down and then continued reading out the Budget. He is known to suffer from severe backache and can’t stand for a long time, say some media reports.
The moment Jaitley rose to present the Budget, some opposition members started to make some noise. After the Speaker requested them to allow presentation of the Budget, they kept quiet. Prime Minister Narendra Modi whose stamp of approval is visible on the Budget was seen smiling and thumping his desk again and again all through the presentation. The Prime Minister’s hand could be detected on several pages of the Budget.
Jaitley quoted in Hindi “कश्ती चलाने वालों ने जब हार के दी पतवार हमें लहर लहर तूफ़ान मिले और मौज़-मौज़ मँझधार हमें फिर भी दिखाया है हमने और फिर ये दिखा देंगे सबको इन हालात में आता है दरिया पार हमें” in the very beginning. He also said: मैडम, हमें आसमानी और सुल्तानी दोनों परिबलों ने परेशान किया है।
In a clear attempt to change the anti-farmer perception of the Modi led government, Jaitley announced the highest ever Rs 9 lakh crore to the agriculture sector in the Budget. He mentioned various schemes for the welfare of famers in his budget. The NDA members welcomed it by thumping their desks.
Seated on the right side of Jaitley was Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar who looked sleepy, he adjusted his unkempt hair and was also seen rubbing his eyes. BJP patriarch LK Advani who was seated next to Jaitley was in a pensive mood till the end of Budget presentation. Same was the case with the External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, who was seated next to Advani. Some MPs were seen either sleeping or were lost in deep thoughts. Science and Technology minister Dr. Harsh Vardhan, who sitting behind Jaitley, was seen breaking into broad smile occasionally.
When Jaitley congratulated Power Minister Piyush Goel for the successful implementation of the rural electrification in over 5500 villages, Goel’s face lit up and he gave a wide smile. Jaitley has also congratulated Shipping and Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari for his achievements.
The opposition MPs including top leaders like Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, Mulayam Singh Yadav, Mallikarjuna Kharge and others were intently listening to the speech. Rahul Gandhi was also seen smiling at his fellow Congress MP Jyotiraditya Scindhia and others from his party.
Two other prominent women ministers in the Modi government, Maneka Gandhi and Uma Bharti, were busy discussing something during the Budget presentation. When Jaitley finished his Budget speech the opposition again made some noise before the Speaker adjourned the House till Tuesday.
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