Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Friday compared the global financial crisis of 2007–08 and the post-Covid recovery and mocked the opposition, saying that 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. Speaking on the 'White Paper', which was presented in the Lok Sabha on Thursday, she said that if the government puts the nation first, the results are there for everybody to see.
While speaking in the Lok Sabha, Sitharaman said, "10 years of one government with some crisis & 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. 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".
The BJP leader slammed the opposition and said that those who could not handle the global financial crisis are lecturing about how to handle it. "Nothing was done to protect the interests of the country, but continued scandals over scandals. Nothing was done to protect the interests of the country but continued scandals over scandals. They left the country in such a situation," she said.
On Thursday, the Finance Minister presented the ‘White Paper’ on the Indian economy in Lok Sabha. The 'White Paper' compared the UPA years and 10 years of the Narendra Modi-led BJP government. In its White Paper, the Centre said the UPA government inherited a healthy economy ready for more reforms but made it non-performing in its 10 years of rule under the leadership of Manmohan Singh.