Smriti Irani slams Rahul Gandhi for not debating Budget in LS, cites Amethi ‘disinterest’

Slamming Wayanad MP Rahul Gandhi for refusing to debate on Budget, Union Minister Smriti Irani on Thursday, said that she was unsurprised that he was not concerned about Budget. Stating that Gandhi's previous constituency - Amethi did not have a CT scan facility in hospitals, no access to a toilet and no medical college, Irani termed the Budget 'self-reliant'. Repeating the Centre's query as to 'what were the problematic issues in the farm laws', she alleged that Rahul Gandhi was never involved in discussions about the mandi system in Amethi.

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Irani: 'Not surprised he is not interested in Budget'

"It is no acceptable for this gentleman (Rahul Gandhi) to discuss Budget in this House. Budget is to make India self-reliant, to connect India. Those who supported slogans calling for fragmentation of India can never support Budget dedicated to India. I was surprised that this person spoke of farmers & levelled allegations on Govt. I was surprised because he never gets involved in discussion of the system in the region from where he was an MP even though he expresses concerns about the mandi system in that region," she said.

Rahul Gandhi uses family planning slogan to target PM Modi; misinterprets farm laws in LS

Rahul Gandhi: 'Hum Do Hamare Do'

Earlier in the day, ex-Congress president Rahul Gandhi remarked, "The content of the third law is that when a farmer goes to the biggest industrialist and demands the right price for his grain, fruits and vegetables, then he will not be allowed to go to the court. Many years ago, there was a slogan for family planning- 'Hum do, hamare do'. Like coronavirus comes in a different form, this slogan has come back in a different form. Today, this country is run by 4 people- 'Hum do, hamare do'. Everyone knows their names."

Amid vociferous uproar from the Treasury benches, Gandhi also claimed that the PM had helped benefit two industrialists through demonetisation and GST, which he dubbed as "Gabbar Singh Tax". Refuting PM Modi's assurance that the farm laws are optional, he opined that the only options resulting from this legislation are hunger, unemployment and suicide. Speaker Om Birla condemned Gandhi's refusal to talk on the Budget, stating that the government was willing to discuss on farmer issues after the debate. Gandhi walked off from the Parliament after his speech.

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