New Delhi: Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in a light-hearted remark to the opposition members in the Lok Sabha said that they should listen to her as her Hindi is a little entertaining. The minister was speaking in the House a day after the Modi government tabled the White Paper against the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government's economic mismanagement during its 10-year rule.
As Sitharaman was recalling how the economy was ruined during the UPA era, opposition members objected her and started making noises. In a light-hearted remark, she said they must listen to her as her Hindi was a bit entertaining (Mera Hindi bhi thoda entertaining hai).
"'White Paper' has been laid on the table by the government, after 10 years of pulling out an Indian Economy which was in fragile five to reach the stage of top five. It is a statement laid with responsibility...," Sitharaman said.
Further hitting out at the Congress, Sitharaman said, "Could not handle the global financial crisis and today are lecturing about how to handle it. Nothing was done to protect the interests of the country but continued scandals over scandals. They left the country in such a situation..."
Sitharaman said the Modi government worked with sincerity and pulled the economy out of 'fragile five' and sent it to top five globally. It is now on the verge of becoming one of the top three global economies, she said.
"Ten years of one government with some crisis and 10 years of a different government with different crisis. The comparison shown in this 'White Paper' clearly says how if the government handles it with true sincerity, transparency and putting the nation first, the results are there for everybody to see," Sitharaman said.
She added, "When you don't put the nation first, when you put your first family first, and when you have other consideration than transparency, the results are out there for you to see. So what happened after 2008 when there was a global financial crisis and what happened post-COVID shows clearly that if the intent of the government is sincere results will be good."
With inputs from PTI
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