The BJP on Monday protested against the absence of Finance Minister P Chidambaram from the Rajya Sabha when the union budget came for discussion following which Prime Minister Manmohan Singh himself had to came and listen to the opposition criticism of uninspiring and disappointing financial performance of his Government.
When Minister of State for Finance Namonarayan Meena rose to present the Appropriation Bill, 2013, BJP leader M Venkaiah Naidu questioned the absence of Chidambaram and said that it was a sad commentary and reflection on the functioning of government which is not giving importance to the debate in the House. This is against Parliamentary tradition, he said.
He also sought to know from the Chair whether the Finance Minister had taken permission for his absence and reason for it. Chidambaram had taken the permission as he had to go out of the city, Naidu was informed. But the reason for Finance Minister leaving an important discussion was not revealed. While BJP members made vociferous protests, DMK leader Tiruchi Siva came to the government’s defence as Finance Minister had
gone to Chennai to meet DMK patriarch.
Hearing the protests, the PM rushed to Rajya Sabha, then Naidu flayed the government for policy paralysis, mismanaging the economy resulting in reduced growth rate. He said that budget has done injustice to all and broken promises made by the Government.
The budget has broken promises, given words to poor and helped the powerful corporate sector, he said and added that it has remained silent on issues like corruption, inflation and black money stashed in India and abroad.