The Hindu : A pat... and some heckling

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Mar 01, 2003

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A pat... and some heckling

By Our Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI FEB. 28. Always an exercise awaited with considerable anticipation, the curiosity value for the Union budget this time round was heightened by the persona of the man who was to hold centrestage for a couple of hours. The import of what he had to say may not have been music to the ears of his political opponents, but the Finance Minister, Jaswant Singh's style found the approval of none other than the CPI (M) leader, Somnath Chatterjee, himself.

Though he ran into rough weather subsequently — forcing him to introduce the Finance Bill amid din — Mr. Singh was in for a pleasant surprise when Mr. Chatterjee intervened 20 minutes into the speech to compliment him for a "very well-written speech". And, for good measure, he added that it was "a welcome change"; a compliment that was immediately acknowledged by the Minister.

Mr. Singh came in his usual safari shirt-trouser combination; evidently refusing to be tied in to the `band-gala' that has become the dress code of sorts for Finance Ministers on their big day. Then, he belied hopes of a short speech, and went on to deliver one that took over two hours to wrap up. Abandoning the two-part format of the speech for a "rambling" approach, he did not break into verse even once.

Delivered in characteristic style — with his wife looking on from the Visitors' Gallery along with a host of Rajya Sabha MPs — Mr. Singh adhered to the written text, with few exceptions; prominent among which was an acknowledgement of Mr. Chatterjee's role in making the budget sensitive to the needs of the physically challenged.

Similarly, he stuck to English; breaking into Hindi only to underscore that the budget was in keeping with the two assurances — `garib ke pet me dana' (grain in every poor person's stomach) and `grihini ke tukiya mein aana' (a rupee in every housewife's purse) — he had given on donning the Finance Minister's hat.

With the sting of the budget in its tail, it was smooth sailing at first for Mr. Singh as he disclosed the "feel good factors" which drew applause from the NDA benches while the Opposition watched silently; awaiting their moment which did come as he meandered along.

To begin with, it was just friendly banter with members taking potshots at the Minister; particularly when he announced a package of incentives for textiles. As he reeled out the incentives, the `Reliance' word echoed through the Opposition benches loud and clear; again in jest.

However, as the Minister went on to subjects such as agriculture and taxation, the heckling began in right earnest; so much so, he yielded ground as the Samajwadi Party leader, Mulayam Singh Yadav, accused him of "slaughtering farmers", with others chipping in.

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A pat... and some heckling