Govt handing out doles for votes, alleges Oppn in Budget debate

NEWDELHI: The Opposition on Friday accused the government of bringing a populist budget aimed at garnering votes in Lok Sabha polls due this summer.

Initiating the debate in Lok Sabha on the Interim Budget amid protests by the Congress on the Rafale issue, Biju Janata DAL(BJD) leader Tathagata Satpathy alleged that the government was “completely following misdeeds and modus operandi” of the previous Congress government.

Taking a dig at the government, he said the underlying message of the budget appeared to be “tum mujhe vote do, main tumhe paise dunga” (You give me vote, I will give you money), a reference to doles announced by the government for different classes.

Everything this government has done has been aimed at the super rich, Satpathy charged.

In an apparent jibe at finance minister Piyush Goyal , he said a number of senior Cabinet ministers in the government are from the Rajya Sabha while those from the Lok Sabha have been ignored.

Lok Sabha members are “rooted in ground issues”, he said, adding during the UPA’S reign the country was ruled by a prime minister from the Rajya Sabha.

The then prime minister Manmohan Singh was a member of the Upper House. M Veerapa Moily (Cong) was to initiate the debate but in his absence Satpathy was asked to start it.

As Kalraj Mishra, who was the presiding officer, allowed a discussion, protesting Congress members intensified sloganshouting, objecting to the debate when the House was not in order.

One member was seen tearing papers and throwing them at the Speaker’s table, and Mallikarjun Kharge of the Congress said, “It is not good. The House is not in order.”

To this, Mishra said the House will be in order if the protesting members go to their seats.

The Rafale deal issues also rocked the Rajya Sabha on Friday, leading to adjournment of the proceedings for the day.