Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra
Highlights
- A row has erupted over Sitharaman's 'UP-type' remark ahead of Assembly polls
- Priyanka Gandhi said that people of Uttar Pradesh are proud of their dialect and culture
- Sitharaman's remarks had come after Pankaj Chaudhary said Rahul Gandhi did not understand the budget
Senior Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra has hit out at Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, accusing her of insulting the people of Uttar Pradesh as she referred to the latter's 'typical UP-type' remark. Priyanka, who is spearheading Congress' campaign in poll-bound Uttar Pradesh, demanded an apology from the Minister.
"You did not put anything in the budget for Uttar Pradesh. But what was the need to insult the people of UP like this? Understand, the people of UP are proud to be "UP type". We are proud of the language, dialect, culture and history of UP," Priyanka tweeted in Hindi.
Party's chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala too alleged that the Finance Minister insulted people of Uttar Pradesh with her 'UP-type' remark.
"Nirmala Sitharaman has insulted the 25 crore people of Uttar Pradesh and made fun of them with her 'typical UP-type' comment. This is a big insult to the 25 crore people of Uttar Pradesh. Modi ji and Nirmala Sitharaman should immediately apologise to the people of Uttar Pradesh," Surjewala told reporters.
Earlier on Tuesday, Sitharaman had slammed Rahul Gandhi for his 'Zer0 Sum Budget' remark directed at the Modi government saying that she will take criticism but not from someone who hasn't done his homework. When a journalist asked Sitharaman and MoS Finance Pankaj Chaudhary about Rahul's criticism of the Union Budget, Pankaj who is also an MP from Uttar Pradesh, said "probably, Rahul Gandhi did not understand the budget, which is futuristic".
Reacting to Chaudhary's remarks, Sitharaman then said, "I think he (Chaudhary) has given that typical UP-type of an answer which is good enough for an MP who ran away from UP."
"I wish as a leader of the oldest political party in the country, Rahul Gandhi, please understand what is being said in the Budget. On every category he named - such as youth, farmers - I have mentioned repeatedly where and what benefits them in the budget. I pity who come up with quick responses... I am ready to answer, but if you just want to put something on Twitter, it doesn't help," she said.
Soon after Sitharaman presented the Budget in the Parliament, Rahul took to Twitter to criticise the government, alleging that the government delivered a "zero-sum budget" that has nothing for the middle class, farmers and the poor.
"M0di G0vernment's Zer0 Sum Budget! Nothing for - Salaried class, Middle class, the poor and deprived, Youth, Farmers and MSMEs (sic)," he said on Twitter.
READ MORE: 'MP who ran away from UP...': Sitharaman attacks Rahul over 'Zer0' Budget remark
