'Charity Begins At Home': FM Sitharaman Attacks Rahul Gandhi Over His Jab At 'Budget Halwa' Ceremony

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Tuesday defended 2024 Union Budget and responded to criticism from Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi regarding the ‘halwa ceremony.’

Sitharaman stated that the ceremony is an “emotional and sentimental event” for the Finance Ministry staff, who spend four days and five nights in quarantine to ensure the secrecy of the Budget proposals.

“Halwa is an emotional and sentimental matter… How can you deal (with) such an important matter so lightly?” she questioned.

Emphasising the adage “charity begins at home,” Sitharaman questioned the Congress party’s commitment to reservations by pointing to the historical stances of Congress leaders, including former Prime Ministers Jawaharlal Nehru and Rajiv Gandhi, who she alleged were opposed to reservations.

Challenging the Congress party’s current criticism of the ‘halwa ceremony’ by comparing it to their actions. “I want to ask the Congress party – How many SC, ST and OBCs are there in Rajiv Gandhi Foundation? How many SC, ST and OBCs are there in Board of Trustees at Rajiv Gandhi Charitable Trust,” she asked

On Monday, Gandhi’s remarks, made during a Lok Sabha debate, questioned the presence of OBC, tribal, or Dalit officers in a photo from the halwa ceremony.

“Budget ka halwa is being distributed in this photo. I can’t see one OBC or tribal or a Dalit officer in this. Desh ka halwa bant raha hai aur 73% hai hi nahi. 20 officers prepared the Budget of India…Hindustan ka halwa 20 logon ne baatne ka kaam kiya hai,” Gandhi commented.

Following Gandhi’s critique, a viral video showed Sitharaman responding with a facepalm and a dismissive smile, which further fueled the debate on social media.

Gandhi also used the term ‘chakravyuh’ to describe the current political climate, suggesting that a small group is trapping the nation in a ‘chakravyuh’.

Conspiracy Being Carried Out To Damage India’s Image

In an apparent attack on the Opposition, Sitharaman alleged that a conspiracy is underway to damage India’s image and send a message to foreign investors that the country is unsafe for investment.

“India’s social fabric, parliamentary traditions, economy and the armed forces are all four being severely attacked,” she asserted.

She warned that instability and anarchy could hinder the nation’s progress toward becoming a “Viksit Bharat“, calling it a huge challenge.

The minister emphasised that India has united its diverse society through hard work over generations. “Today, through a conspiracy, the fault lines of our society are being exposed. Mistrust is being created against each other in the society through fallacy, lies and deceit,” she said.