In a heated session of the Lok Sabha, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s speech criticizing the government’s budget preparation process ignited a strong reaction from both Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The viral moment occurred when Congress leader Rahul Gandhi highlighted the lack of diversity in the traditional pre-budget ‘Halwa’ ceremony, specifically noting the absence of Dalits, Other Backward Classes (OBC), and Adivasis. Displaying a picture of the ceremony, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi pointed out that out of 20 officers involved in the budget preparation, only one belonged to a minority community and one to the OBC category.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s remarks prompted a visible reaction from Sitharaman, who was seen covering her face with her hands, followed by a disapproving nod. This moment quickly spread across social media. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi seized the moment, addressing Sitharaman directly: “The Finance Minister is laughing. It is quite astonishing. This is not a laughing matter, madam. This is about caste census. It will change the country.”
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi argued that the budget primarily serves to fortify the interests of big businesses and political monopolies, undermining the democratic structure and empowering the so-called deep state or agencies. He further criticized the budget, claiming it excludes 73% of the population from its benefits.
The BJP swiftly countered Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s accusations. BJP national general secretary (organization) B L Santhosh posted on X (formerly Twitter) a screenshot of the Rajiv Gandhi Foundation’s board members, which included Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, former prime minister Manmohan Singh, and P Chidambaram. Santhosh challenged Congress leader Rahul Gandhi to identify OBC, SC, and ST members among them.
Amit Malviya, head of the BJP’s IT department, accused the Congress of historically being anti-SC/ST and OBC. He claimed that the Congress had opposed the Kelkar Committee’s 1957 recommendation for a Backward Commission, which was eventually given constitutional status by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2018 despite opposition from Congress.
Drawing parallels from the Mahabharata, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi described the country as being trapped in a “Chakravyuh of lotus,” referring to the BJP’s symbol. He asserted that the current political climate is creating an atmosphere of fear among farmers, workers, and youth. The heated exchange underscored the deep divisions between the two major political parties, reflecting the intense political climate ahead of the upcoming elections.
