It's Moitra v/s Sitharaman on 'who is Pappu' in governance
What's the story
After Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP Mahua Moitra's "who is Pappu now" remark in Parliament, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman retorted by saying Moitra should look in her own backyard in West Bengal to find "Pappu." There are "wonderful schemes" to benefit common people but the West Bengal government doesn't implement them, she claimed in a lengthy statement in Wednesday's session of Parliament.
Context
Why does this story matter?
Moitra on Tuesday questioned the macroeconomic fundamentals of the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government, raising questions about the Supplementary Demand for Grants. Quoting data from the National Statistical Office (NSO) to counter the government's claims, she said the ruling party coined the term 'Pappu'—mocking Congress leader Rahul Gandhi—to signify extreme incompetence, but statistics show who is the real Pappu.
Twitter Post
Sitharaman defended her government by blaming TMC
लोकतंत्र में जनता सरकार के हाथ में माचिस देती है इसीलिए प्रश्न ये नही होना चाहिए कि हाथ में माचिस किसने दी ,असली प्रश्न तो ये है कि माचिस का उपयोग किस प्रकार किया गया।
— NSitharamanOffice (@nsitharamanoffc) December 14, 2022
- श्रीमती @nsitharaman लोक सभा मे चर्चा के दौरान। pic.twitter.com/h2xU2vbPQH
Twitter Post
Moitra tore into BJP citing NSO figures
TLDR #MahuaMoitra in Parliament
— The DeshBhakt 🇮🇳 (@TheDeshBhakt) December 13, 2022
- Industrial Output fell by 4% (26 month low)
- Manufacturing Sector Contracting (-5.6%)
- Forex Reserves Down $72 Billion (in less than a yr)
- Indian citizenships renounced in first 10 months of 2022 - 1,83,741 (new record) | 12.5 lakh since 2014 pic.twitter.com/ePpcdGixzZ
Details
Claiming progress but seeking extra Rs. 3 lakh crore: Moitra
Moitra said the government made lofty claims of economic development but is looking for parliamentary approval to demand an additional Rs. 3 lakh crore for 2022-23 to fund higher subsidies on fertilizers, cooking gas, and food. She said manufacturing sector has shrunk by 5.6% while the industrial output fell by 4% in October to a 26-month low.
Statement
MGNREGA funds not granted as reply to complaints not given
Sitharaman said that West Bengal was not granted funds under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) as the state government didn't reply to complaints of misuse of funds since March this year. Attacking Moitra for rhetorically asking who gave matches to the "madman," she said people shouldn't be undermined as they elect the leader in a democracy.
Maachis
We gave Ujjwala, Ujala, you have arson, looting, rapes: Sitharaman
Sitharaman slammed Moitra saying the BJP government gave Ujjwala, Ujala, PM Kisan Yojana, and Swach Bharat Abhiyan while the TMC government caused arson, looting, and rapes of BJP workers. She also referred to the "attack" on the cars of two Union ministers in West Bengal. Sitharaman hailed BJP's victory in Gujarat contrary to BJP's defeat in its national president's home state Himachal Pradesh.