During a sharp attack in the debate on the Indian economy, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman criticized the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government, calling it “rudderless and leaderless,” and accusing Sonia Gandhi of acting as the “Super Prime Minister.” While contrasting the economic performance of the UPA from 2004 to 2014 with that of the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA), Sitharaman lambasted Rahul Gandhi for his public dismissal of an ordinance in 2013, labeling his behavior as arrogant and an insult to the then-Prime Minister, Manmohan Singh.
Sitharaman argued that leadership issues caused the economic mismanagement during the UPA tenure, suggesting that Sonia Gandhi, as the chairperson of the National Advisory Council (NAC), was given unaccountable power over government affairs. The Finance Minister mentioned that 710 government files were sent to the NAC for approval, questioning the accountability of such actions.
The budget session of Parliament in New Delhi, which began on January 31 on the eve of the Union budget, is in its concluding week, with the session extended by one day. The BJP has urged its parliamentarians to remain present during this time for important legislative business. Among the speculated agendas, there is a possibility of passing a resolution expressing gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the Ram Temple in Ayodhya following his attendance at the consecration ceremony.
Amidst these events, the opposition Congress has termed the government’s white paper on the economy as a “granary of concoctions and a mountain of lies.” The party’s leader in the Lok Sabha, Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, criticized the document as being no more than an “electoral manifesto,” questioning the government’s frequent criticisms of the Congress family and historic figures like Nehru. Chowdhury stressed the need for introspection rather than continuously hurling abuses in both Houses of Parliament.
With the current Lok Sabha session drawing to an end, and the Lok Sabha polls scheduled for the coming April-May, the dynamics in Parliament reflect the build-up to these forthcoming elections. The debate around the economy, governance, and historical legacies continues to be a key area of contention between the ruling party and the opposition.