Sitharaman was reacting to feedback made by the chief of opposition Rahul Gandhi in Lok Sabha on Monday.
As Rahul cited Mahabharata’s ‘chakravyuha’ (entice) to assault the Modi authorities 3.0, he pulled out a photograph of ‘halwa ceremony’ which was held on the ministry of finance earlier than the presentation of Union funds as per custom.
“This picture exhibits funds ka halwa being distributed on this picture. I can not see one OBC or tribal or a Dalit officer on this. 20 officers ready the funds … Hindustan ka halwa 20 logon ne baatne ka kaam kiya hai…” he stated.
The comment led Sitharaman, who was additionally within the Home, to cowl her face with a smile.
Contending that earlier Congress governments and leaders akin to former PMs Jawaharlal Nehru or Rajiv Gandhi have been strongly in opposition to reservations, the finance minister on Tuesday attacked the opposition for elevating questions over who was concerned within the halwa ceremony.
She additionally requested what number of SC/ST or OBC trustees are there within the Rajiv Gandhi Basis or the Rajiv Gandhi Charitable Belief.
Significance of halwa ceremony
On Tuesday, Sitharaman additionally went into element in regards to the significance of the halwa ceremony.
It marks the start of the Funds printing course of and is seen as a gesture of appreciation for the officers and workers concerned within the arduous activity of compiling the funds paperwork, stated the minister.
After the ceremony, the officers and workers concerned within the budget-making course of are confined to their workplaces till the funds is offered in Parliament. This seclusion is meant to take care of confidentiality and stop any leaks or untimely disclosures of budgetary proposals, she added.
The preparation and sharing of sweets like halwa maintain cultural significance in lots of Indian ceremonies and festivals. By incorporating this ritual into the budget-making course of, the ceremony bridges the hole between custom and fashionable governance practices, stated the minister.
