With the no-confidence motion debate entering its last day on Thursday, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman took a jibe at the INDIA alliance and asked whether they are fighting among themselves rather than in unity.
FM also criticised the Opposition saying that under the UPA rule, citizens were supposed to get benefits and during the NDA's rule people are “already getting” the benefits.
"UPA wasted an entire decade because there was a lot of corruption and cronyism. Today, every crisis and adversity has been changed into a reform and an opportunity," said Sitharaman.
FM also added that people moved no-confidence motion against UPA in 2014 and 2019. "People moved no confidence against UPA in 2014 and 2019 and defeated them. The situation will be the same in 2024. HM said yesterday, what was the need to change the name of UPA?...They have an amazing unity. It is tough to understand if they are fighting against each other or together," said Sitharaman.
"Transformation comes through actual delivery, and not through spoken words. You show dreams to people. We make their dreams a reality. We believe in empowering all and appeasement of none," said FM.
FM also spoke about the global economy and the benefits of the Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT). “Our DBT story sets an example for the rest of the world. I recognise the operationalisation of DBT by UPA but only Rs 7,367 crores were transferred in 2013-14. From that amount, DBT transfers have increased 5 times by 2014-15 itself. In the last Financial Year, Rs 7.16 lakh crores have been transferred through DBT,” said Sitharaman.
She also added that the banks are working with professional integrity and there is no political interference.
“Words like 'banega, milega' are not in use anymore. What are the people using these days? 'Ban gaye, mil gaye, aa gaye'. During UPA, people said 'Bijli aayegi', now people say 'Bijli aa gayi'. They said 'gas connection milega', now 'gas connection mil gaya'...They said airport 'banega', now airport 'ban gaya'," she said.
India is in a rare position of being optimistic and positive about its future growth, she added.
Meanwhile, Congress, NCP, DMK MPs staged a walk-out from the Lok Sabha as Sitharaman spoke on the no-confidence motion. Opposition accused of Sitharaman misleading the Lok Sabha.
