"This is not budget but surgical strike. The first used bullets to neutralise the country's external enemies. The second surgical strike will use ballots to decimate our rivals," the Lok Janshakti Party president told reporters, referring to the attack on terror launch pads across the border in Kashmir.
BJP ally and Union minister Ram Vilas Paswan Friday dubbed the budget as the government's "second surgical strike", saying the first used bullets against the country's external enemies while this will use ballots to decimate the ruling NDA's rivals in the general election.
"This is not budget but surgical strike. The first used bullets to neutralise the country's external enemies. The second surgical strike will use ballots to decimate our rivals," the Lok Janshakti Party president told reporters, referring to the attack on terror launch pads across the border in Kashmir.
He also claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi will come back to power with the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) winning more than 400 seats in the coming Lok Sabha election.
Hailing the prime minister, he said the budget has provided relief to farmers, income taxpayers and significantly enhanced expenditure for scheduled castes, tribes and the poor.
"There cannot be a better budget than this. Our rivals will be left speechless," he said.
1. There cannot be a bigger budget: Amit Shah
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He also claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi will come back to power with the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) winning more than 400 seats in the coming Lok Sabha election.
Hailing the prime minister, he said the budget has provided relief to farmers, income taxpayers and significantly enhanced expenditure for scheduled castes, tribes and the poor.
"There cannot be a better budget than this. Our rivals will be left speechless," he said.
2. How's the Josh?
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From reference to "josh" of Bollywood flick 'Uri', jeering by opposition members to chants of "Modi, Modi" from the BJP, there were varied reactions in Lok Sabha as Finance Minister Piyush Goyal gave his interim budget speech on Friday.
Goyal announced various populist measures, including direct cash transfer to farmers and income tax exemptions, all of which were welcomed by thumping of desks by the ruling side.
Attired in a grey jacket and black kurta, Goyal also made it a point to explain some of the key announcements, including those related to income tax sops, in Hindi.
Traditionally, finance ministers stick to their written Budget speech.
Goyal paused for almost a minute as the ruling party members continued to cheer and chant "Modi, Modi" and thumped their desks after he announced doubling of income tax exemption limit to Rs 5 lakh from the next fiscal.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other senior ministers were also seen thumping their desks.
"It was fun watching Uri. There was a lot of josh (energy) in the movie (Uri movie mein jo maza aaya. Jo Josh tha)," Goyal said while mentioning the future agenda.
3. Rajnath Singh
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Singh on Friday said it is aimed at strengthening the economy and will benefit all sections of society. Finance Minister Piyush Goyal presented the interim Budget for the 2019-20 in the Lok Sabha. He doled out tax sops to middle class, including doubling of income tax exemption limit to Rs 5 lakh, raising standard deduction to Rs 50,000, and provided concessions on interest income from bank deposits and rent. "Our government wants the country's economy to get stronger and that was aim of the Budget. I would call it a historic Budget. It would benefit all sections of society," Singh told reporters outside Parliament.
4. 'Rahul Baba bhag gaye'
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Congress President Rahul Gandhi was away from the House for a brief period during the Budget presentation. This prompted some BJP members to remark that 'Rahul Baba bhag gaye (Rahul ran away)'.
The visitors' gallery was almost full and Rajya Sabha members, including Rajeev Chandrashekhar (BJP), Y S Chowdary (TDP) and Majeed Memon (NCP), were present there.
Former Union Minister M J Akbar and former RBI Deputy Governor Narendra Jadhav, who is also a Rajya Sabha member, were also present.
UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi, Congress' Chief Whip in the House Jyotiraditya Scindia and Deputy Speaker M Thambidurai were not in the House.
5. No poetry please
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Union minister Ramdas Athawale is known for his impromptu delivery of poems and couplets.
On Friday, when Finance Minister Piyush Goyal was concluding his Budget speech with a couplet in Lok Sabha, Athawale was on his feet eager to recite a poem.
He was, however, asked by BJP ministers not to disturb Goyal during his speech.
Thrice, Athawale also drew the attention of Congress President Rahul Gandhi during the Budget when Goyal announced sops for middle class and farmers.
6. Yogi Aditayanath
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Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Friday said that the interim budget announced by the Narendra Modi-led government is independent India’s greatest-ever, adding that it promised to fulfill the dreams of a new India. “The interim budget presented by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government is independent India’s greatest ever. The budget fulfills the dreams of India being the world’s biggest economy and a strong, self-dependent country. We are thankful to the Prime Minister, under whose tenure, in just four and a half years, the country has made incredible progress in a number of fields," Yogi told ANI.
