Anurag Thakur attacks Rahul, says he was not prepared to speak on budget

In a veiled attack on Rahul Gandhi, Minister of State for Finance Anurag Thakur on Thursday said the Congress leader was "not prepared" to speak on the union budget.

"A senior MP was speaking before me, so I thought he must be knowing the rules of this House and that if one issue has already been discussed, it is not discussed again. Secondly, I can understand that he was not prepared for Budget," Thakur said while participating in the debate on the budget in the Lok Sabha.

Gandhi, who also participated in the debate, spoke only on the new farm laws.

Thakur rejected Gandhi's allegations and said there is no provision of closing mandis in farm laws. "This indicates the depth of their (Congress) knowledge and reading. They do not have the basic information," he said.

Taking on Rahul Gandhi over his "Hum do Hamare Do'' jibe, Thakur said it refers to ''Didi, brother-in-law and his family".

"Some people remain absent from the House as well as the country," he said.

Thakur alleged that the Congress Party had only been raising slogans for the poor.

"Some raised slogans of gareebi hatao. Five generations have ruled the country, but poverty did not go," he said, adding that BJP-led government had lifted many people out of poverty.

"Some people only make electoral promises and do not deliver," he said.

The minister said the BJP government had linked 1000 mandis last year with e-NAM.

"We are connecting 1000 Mandis with e-NAM this year also. We have disbursed 1.14 lakh crore till now under PM Kisan Samman Nidhi Yojna," he said.

He said the Union Budget 2021-22 instills hope for 'New India' and for making the country a "economic and manufacturing powerhouse".

"This budget shows a hope - a hope to build New India, hope for stronger India, a hope to build Aatmrbhar Bharat. I would like to thank the Finance Minister because this is going to set the path to make India an economic and manufacturing powerhouse," Thakur said.

( With inputs from ANI )