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‘Where Is The FM?' Nirmala Sitharaman's Absence From Pre-Budget Meeting Raises Eyebrows
10 Jan 2020 8:24 AM GMT
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman missed the pre-budget meeting with economists and sector experts on Thursday, January 9 as she had already met them and was busy in a similar meeting at the Bharatiya Janata Party headquarters.
The experts met Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah to discuss the weakening state of the economy and steps which can be taken to boost the growth, which is projected at 5 per cent, an 11-year low this fiscal. The PM met with 40 economists, industry leaders and experts, and held a discussion on achieving India’s $5 trillion economy goals. Investments, credit growth, boosting consumption and reforms were primary points of discussion.
Netizens noticed Sitharaman’s absence and soon, #FindingNirmala was seen trending on Twitter.
Several ministers from the opposition including Congress MP Shashi Tharoor pointed out that Sitharaman was absent even as PM Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah and others, met the experts.
Same question again: https://t.co/QhZQtBLRwv. What’s going on here? Finance Minister indisposed?
— Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) January 9, 2020
Mocking at the finance minister’s absence, the Indian National Congress tweeted, “Here’s a suggestion, next budget meeting, consider inviting the Finance Minister.”
How many men does it take to do a woman's job? #FindingNirmala https://t.co/RbiFmFZVBW
— Congress (@INCIndia) January 9, 2020
The Finance Minister @nsitharaman will present the budget but, will not be allowed to attend the big boys meet? What a travesty of a government @PMOIndia runs pic.twitter.com/e1nPRWujWD
— Swati Chaturvedi (@bainjal) January 9, 2020
FM Decided To Meet Party Workers
Responding on finance minister’s absence at the meet, Sitharaman’s office tweeted that she has already met the experts and has been interacting with stakeholders from various industries for over a month now.
The BJP’s official twitter handle also tweeted Sitharaman’s photos at the BJP headquarters, with party leaders and office-bearers.
The Finance Minister’s office also told the media that she could not cancel the scheduled meeting at the BJP office and had informed the Prime Minister’s office about her absence at the meet.
FM Smt. @nsitharaman having pre-budget consultation meetings with Party’s national office-bearers, spokespersons, Morcha members, departments, publications and think-tanks at BJP headquarters in New Delhi. pic.twitter.com/sUi5Kjwons
— BJP (@BJP4India) January 9, 2020
Also Read: World Bank Cuts India’s GDP Growth Forecast For 2020-21 To 5%
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