A video capturing Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman’s reaction to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s comments during the Lok Sabha debate on the Union Budget 2024 has gained significant traction on social media. In the clip, Sitharaman is seen facepalming and offering a dismissive smile following Gandhi’s remarks about the “Desh ka halwa” ceremony.

On Monday, Rahul Gandhi delivered a sharp critique of the Modi government’s policies during the debate. He pointed to a photo from the traditional “halwa ceremony,” a pre-budget event at the Ministry of Finance, to question the representation of OBC, tribal, and Dalit officers. “In this photo of the budget halwa ceremony, I don’t see one OBC, tribal, or Dalit officer. Desh ka halwa is being distributed, and 73% [of the population] is missing. Twenty officers prepared the Budget of India… Hindustan ka halwa 20 logon ne baatne ka kaam kiya hai,” Gandhi stated.

The video shows Sitharaman’s facepalm and dismissive smile immediately after Gandhi’s comment, which quickly spread across social media platforms.

Watch The Video:

#WATCH | In Lok Sabha, LoP Rahul Gandhi shows a poster of the traditional Halwa ceremony, held at the Ministry of Finance before the Budget session.

He says, “Budget ka halwa’ is being distributed in this photo. I can’t see one OBC or tribal or a Dalit officer in this. Desh ka… pic.twitter.com/BiFRB0VTk3

— ANI (@ANI) July 29, 2024

Gandhi Condemns Sitharaman’s “Dismissive Response”

After the session, Gandhi took to social media to share the photo of the halwa ceremony alongside Nirmala Sitharaman’s reaction, criticizing her “dismissive response” to the issue. “Today in Parliament, when I raised the issue of caste census, the Finance Minister laughed and ridiculed this serious issue. Such a dismissive response to the most important issue related to the lives of 90% of the country’s population has exposed the intentions, mindset, and motives of the BJP,” Gandhi wrote on his social media handle ‘X’.

He continued, “I want to tell the BJP that we will make caste census a reality at all costs and provide justice to the deprived. INDIA will bring out the X-Ray of the country.”

In his address, Gandhi used the metaphor of a ‘chakravyuh’ to describe the current political climate, suggesting that a small group is ensnaring the nation. His speech, invoking the Mahabharat, led to frequent interventions by Speaker Om Birla and caused a stir in the House. Gandhi claimed that the Union Budget’s main goals are to protect the deep state and its agencies, strengthen political monopolies, and assist large corporations.

“There is an atmosphere of fear, and that fear has pervaded every aspect of our country. In the BJP, only one man is allowed to dream of being the prime minister. If the defense minister wants to be PM, there is a big problem, there is fear. This fear has spread throughout the country… why is it that my friends in the BJP are terrified, ministers are terrified, farmers, workers are terrified?” Gandhi questioned.

The exchange underscores the intense political discourse surrounding the Union Budget and the broader issues of representation and governance in India.