Next time invite FM: Cong mocks PM's budget meet

January 09, 2020 20:31

The Congress on Thursday took a swipe at Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman over her absence at a pre-budget meeting with economists and experts at the Niti Aayog in New Delhi which was chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

"Here's a suggestion, next budget meeting, consider inviting the Finance Minister," the Congress said on its official Twitter handle, using the hashtag "FindingNirmala".

"How many men does it take to do a woman's job," the opposition party said in another tweet, using the same hashtag.

Incidently, while Nirmala Sitharaman was absent, commerce minister Piyush Goyal, transport minister Nitin Gadkari and agriculture minister Narendra Singh Tomar were present at the PM's pre-budget meeting.

The Congress tagged a tweet of the BJP that said the finance ministry has invited suggestions for the Union Budget 2020-21.

"Citizens from all walks of life are welcome to be a part of this exercise," the tweet on the BJP twitter handle said.

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman was not present as the Prime Minister met economists, private equity and venture capitalists, business leaders and agri experts at Niti Aayog and called for focussed efforts from all stakeholders to achieve the target of nearly doubling the size of the Indian economy to USD 5 trillion by 2024.

BJP sources said Sitharaman was holding pre-budget meetings with party workers at the BJP headquarters at that time.

Later, Sitharaman's office clarified that the FM had already met the industrialists, experts, and economists during the pre-budget consultations.

"Sir, the minister has already met industrialists, experts, and economists during the pre-budget consultations," Sitharaman's office tweeted while replying to Congress leader Shashi Tharoor's tweet which said," Where is the Finance Minister? Or has the Duo forgotten they have one?"

Image: Prime Minister Narendra Modi poses for a group photograph with economists and experts, at NITI Aayog, in New Delhi on January 9, 2020. Photograph: PIB/PTI Photo.

« Back to LIVE

TOP STORIES

Will Thiruvanathapuram Elect Tharoor A 4th Time?

24 hours before campaigning ends in Thiruvanathapuram, Archana Masih/Rediff.com discovers Shashi Tharoor and his BJP rival Rajeev Chandrasekhar are busy getting their message across to voters.

'I broke my mother's heart a little when I eloped'

Zeenat Aman dedicated her latest post on Instagram to her mother, and shared the kind of relationship they had.

T20 World Cup: Who Should Keep Wickets?

Vote For Your Choice!

Where Was Modi When We Needed Him Most?

'From April 25, 2021, Modi disappeared. He made no public appearance for 20 days.' 'The prime minister of India fled the field when his people needed the government most,' points out Aakar Patel.

The RBI Story: 90 Years And Going Strong

Of the eight RBI governors who have held office since the 1991 economic liberalisation, Bimal Jalan had the longest stint and S Venkitaramanan, the shortest. Current Governor Shaktikanta Das will overtake Bimal Jalan before completing...