Budget 2022: Nirmala Sitharaman, Piyush Goyal Slam Rahul Gandhi For 'Zero Sum Budget' Remark

Union Budget 2022: FM Nirmala Sitharaman and Union Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal slammed Rahul Gandhi for his comment on the budget.

File Photo: Getty Images

New Delhi: After presenting her fourth budget today, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman slammed Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for his remarks, saying that he should "understand" the budget. 

FM's sharp comment on Rahul came during her media address after presenting Union Budget 2022-23 in the Parliament. She said that she feels pity for those making quick responses on Twitter.

Nirmala Sitharaman said, "I pity people who come up with quick responses...Just because you want to put something on Twitter, it doesn't help. He should first do something in Congress-govern states then talk about".

#WATCH | I pity people who come up with quick responses...Just because you want to put something on Twitter, it doesn't help. He should first do something in Congress-govern states then talk about it: FM Nirmala Sitharaman on Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's comment on Budget 2022 pic.twitter.com/m90TGkq8s4

— ANI (@ANI) February 1, 2022

Further, she urged Rahul to take care of the states where his party rules and implement the schemes that have been announced by the BJP-led Centre. “Deaths among cotton farmers are still happening in Punjab. Let him first take care of Maharashtra, Punjab, and Chhattisgarh, and then talk,” she added.

Rahul today took to Twitter and said that the Union Budget does not have anything for “salaried class, middle class, the poor and deprived, youth, farmers and MSMEs.”

M0di G0vernment’s Zer0 Sum Budget!

Nothing for
- Salaried class
- Middle class
- The poor & deprived
- Youth
- Farmers
- MSMEs

— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) February 1, 2022

Meanwhile, Union Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal also responded to Rahul's comment and said that the Congress leader has a problem in understanding maths.

"To understand the Budget Session2022, the Opposition needs intelligence," he said, adding that Rahul Gandhi has a problem in understanding maths, he'll look at everything with a sum of 0.

"I believe that FM has shown a new way of developing the nation," Goyal added.

To understand the #BudgetSession2022, you (Opposition) need intelligence. Rahul Gandhi anyway has a problem in understanding maths, he'll look at everything with a sum of 0. I believe that FM has shown a new way of developing the nation: Union Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal pic.twitter.com/I5Kd5KnmkF

— ANI (@ANI) February 1, 2022

Goyal on Tuesday lauded the Budget presented by FM and said that the tax burden on the middle class has already been reduced quite a lot. "Our efforts are to conserve resources and increase opportunities and income, privately issued cryptocurrencies are not govt recognized legal tenders and will have a 30% tax," Goyal added.

Earlier, Congress Chief Spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala said, "India's salaried class & middle class were hoping for relief in times of pandemic. All-round pay cuts and back-breaking inflation. FM & PM have again deeply disappointed them in Direct Tax measures. This is a betrayal of India's Salaried Class & Middle Class. #Budget2022".

India’s Salaried Class & Middle Class were hoping for relief in times of pandemic, all round pay cuts and back breaking inflation.

FM & PM have again deeply disappointed them in Direct Tax measures.

This is a betrayal of India’s Salaries Class & Middle Class.#Budget2022

— Randeep Singh Surjewala (@rssurjewala) February 1, 2022