Hitting out at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, Union finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Saturday alleged that the former was turning into a “doomsday man” for India by constantly churning out fake narratives regarding various issues including the farmers’ protests. She also alleged that the Congress MP was constantly insulting constitutional functionaries.
Sitharaman made the comments during the general discussion on Budget in Lok Sabha on Saturday. Claiming that Rahul Gandhi was creating fake narratives, the finance minister said he does not have the patience to listen to the Centre’s replies on allegations levelled against the government.
"We need to recognise these two tendencies of the Congress party... this makes it clear that their belief in a democratically elected Parliamentary system is completely finished," Sitharaman said.
Responding to Rahul Gandhi's speech on Thursday, during which he talked about farm laws but declined to speak on the Budget, she said, "he is probably becoming a doomsday man for India."
The minister further said that Gandhi laid the "foundation" but did not speak about the Budget during the discussion on it.
Sitharaman said she wanted Gandhi to speak on 10 issues but was disappointed as the Congress leader made no mention of them. "I wanted to know from the Congress why it took a U-turn on the farm laws but no reply came," she said, adding that Gandhi did not tell the House why Congress governments in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh did not waive farm loans as promised in their manifesto.
Sitharaman further said Gandhi did not talk about the farmers issue in Punjab where Congress is in power and the steps being taken by the government with regard to stubble burning in the state.
Gandhi also did not pin point to any clause in the Centre’s three new agri bills which was against the farmers, she said.
Congress party is only concerned about "Hum Do and Hamare Do," Sitharaman said adding that she expected Gandhi to return the land which "Damadji" had taken from farmers at pittance, in an apparent reference to Robert Vadra.
She further added that Gandhi did not say anything about the statement of former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh who had advocated for reforming the Agriculture Produce Marketing Committee (APMC).
She also accused Gandhi of insulting constitutional authorities recalling the incident when the Congress leader tore an ordinance promulgated by its own government led by the then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.
Sitharaman also expressed regret and claimed that Congress has joined the break India fringe group as it is continuously creating a false narrative to demean India.
(With PTI inputs)
