New Delhi, Feb 1 : Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday made a departure from routine and went forward to greet Opposition MPs in Lok Sabha after the Union Budget presentation concluded. The Opposition benches remained more or less quiet through the Budget presentation, except for making a few swipes at government. When the FM announced the fiscal deficit, Trinamool Congress MP Saugata Roy commented it was very high.
At one point in the speech, Roy also quipped “It is a general lecture not a budget speech,”. The treasury benches were seen thumping desks to welcome the announcements being made by the Minister, while the Opposition MPs remained quiet. However, soon after the Budget speech ended and as MPs started to leave, the Prime Minister congratulated the Finance Minister, and then moved towards the Opposition benches. He greeted DMK leader A Raja, and other MPs standing with him in the well of the house.
Modi then moved towards TMC MPs Saugata Roy, Sudip Bandyopadhyay and BSP MP Ritesh Pandey, and other Opposition MPs. He also enquired National Conference MP Farookh Abdullah about his health. The Prime Minister then went and greeted Congress leader of the House Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, and RSP MP NK Premchandra. He also talked Congress members Kodikunnil Suresh from Kerala and Francisco Sardinha from Goa. YSRCP member Krishna Devarayulu Lavu, Independent member Navneet Rana were also seen greeting the PM. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, who sat in the House through the Budget, had left before the Prime Minister approached the Opposition benches. The Budget Speech, which was one and a half hours long, was read by the Finance Minister from her tablet.
