Instead of presenting Budget 2023-24, Mr. Gehlot recited sections from the previous budget relating to urban employment and the agricultural budget
Jaipur: On Friday, the opposition BJP members staged a protest in the Rajasthan Assembly as soon as Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot started presenting the state budget. The BJP claimed that the budget had leaked and that it was technically flawed, as the budget copy had been passed through multiple hands. BJP MLA Pratap Singh Singhvi demanded that the Chief Minister present a new budget, as he claimed that only the Chief Minister should bring the budget copy.
However, the Chief Minister swiftly rejected these allegations and stated that there was no leak. He explained that an extra page from the previous year's budget, which was only meant for reference, was mistakenly included in the fresh budget documents. In a tweet, the Chief Minister accused the BJP of trying to hinder the development and progress of Rajasthan, and being the only obstacle to the
theme of this year's state budget, which is 'Bachat, Rahat, Badhat' (saving, relief, and progress).
As soon as the Chief Minister started reading out the budget, he began with excerpts from the previous budget on urban employment and krishi budget, instead of Budget 2023-24. This led to the opposition rushing into the well of the House. BJP leader and former Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje criticized the Chief Minister for not reading or checking the budget before presenting it, stating that such carelessness would lead to the state's downfall. Union Minister and Jodhpur MP Gajendra Singh Shekhawat mocked the Chief Minister, saying that he campaigned for a new budget but read out the old one.
The Speaker of the Assembly, CP Joshi, asked the opposition to maintain order, but the opposition continued its uproar, leading to the adjournment of the House. The Speaker asked for the proceedings to be expunged. After the adjournment, the BJP MLAs staged a sit-in inside the well of the House.
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This year's budget is particularly significant as it is the last budget of the present government before the state assembly elections later this year. The ruling party, the Congress, is trying to retain power in the state and is focusing on the youth and women in this year's budget to fulfil the aspirations of the people of the state. With the critical state polls approaching, the budget presentation was closely watched by political observers and the public.
भाजपा सिर्फ़ यह दिखाना चाहती है कि वह राजस्थान के विकास और तरक्की के खिलाफ है। इनका मन-गढ़ंत आरोप कि बजट लीक हो गया यह दर्शाता है कि बजट को भी यह अपनी ओछी राजनीति से नहीं छोड़ेंगे। 'बचत, राहत, बढ़त' में एक ही बाधा है - भाजपा।
— Ashok Gehlot (@ashokgehlot51) February 10, 2023
गजब बे-सुध रहते हैं गहलोत जी, इस साल के बजट का चुनावी प्रचार किया और पढ़ने लगे पुराना बजट!
— Gajendra Singh Shekhawat (@gssjodhpur) February 10, 2023
जनता कुशासन से फैले अंधकार में राहत की रोशनी की सोच रही थी यहां मुख्यमंत्री की बत्ती ही गुल हो गई।
समझ नहीं आ रहा, हंसे या रोएं!#RajasthanBudget pic.twitter.com/3n9vGIMowU