In an address during the No-Confidence Motion discussion in Parliament today (August 10), Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman directly attacked the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK).
She said, "I agree that women suffering anywhere - Manipur, Delhi, Rajasthan - will have to be taken seriously. No politics played in this matter. But, I want to remind this entire House of one incident which happened on March 25, 1989 in Tamil Nadu Assembly. Then she hadn't become Chief Minister Jayalalithaa's saree was pulled in Tamil Nadu in the Assembly. She was the LoP. The DMK members who were seated there, heckled her and laughed at her. Has DMK forgotten Jayalalithaa? You pulled her saree, you demeaned her. That day Jayalalithaa took an oath that she will never come to the House unless she becomes the CM. Two years later, she returned as the CM of Tamil Nadu."
FM also defended the government's policies and showcased India's remarkable economic transformation, asserting that progress is achieved through actions rather than mere rhetoric. Sitharaman began her address in the Lok Sabha by emphasizing the global economic challenges, including high inflation and sluggish growth, that have posed significant hurdles for nations worldwide.
Nirmala Sitharaman on Sengol:
"When PM Modi restored it (Sengol) to its rightful place in Lok Sabha, that became an issue, that is an insult of the Tamils. The Sengol was ignored for decades. The Sengol was lost in history and kept in some museum. The Kashi Tamil Sangamam showed how Tamil Nadu and Kashi have very deep connections. The first time you heard Tamil being quoted in the United Nations. In 'Mann ki Baat', PM has used Tamil so many times," said FM Sitharaman today.
"They have no objection when the sacred Sengol was treated like a walking stick for Prime Minister Nehru. It was lost in history, it was forgotten and kept in a museum. Is that not an insult to the Tamils?" said Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman during the No-Confidence Motion debate in Lok Sabha.
Sitharaman speaks on financial matters:
Drawing attention to the dire situations in some developed countries, she said, "the United Kingdom's struggle, where the Bank of England has raised interest rates 14 consecutive times, and the European Central Bank's struggle with high inflation, having raised interest rates nine times to a 23-year high".Turning the focus to India, Sitharaman stated that "despite the global economic headwinds, India's economy had achieved commendable growth".Citing the turnaround in India's economic fortunes, she recounted the country's journey from being labelled a "fragile economy" by Morgan Stanley in 2013 to now receiving a higher rating due to the government's policies.
Sitharaman said, "In 2013, Morgan Stanley declared India as a fragile economy. The same Morgan Stanley now gave higher grading to India".The term Fragile 5 was coined by a Morgan Stanley analyst in 2013 and refers to a set of five emerging countries, including India, whose economy was not doing well. "Despite the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, India has emerged as the fastest-growing economy, showcasing a remarkable 7.2% real GDP growth in 2022-23", said Nirmala Sitharaman.
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