Rajasthan Budget 2023: CM Ashok Gehlot Reads Excerpts From Old Budget, Opposition Creates Ruckus

Jaipur: In a huge blunder, Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Friday read out parts from the previous budget instead of Budget 2023-24. This goof-up led to an uproar by the Opposition in the House and they stormed into the well. Although Speaker C P Joshi asked them to maintain order, the Opposition continued its protest, leading to the House being adjourned for half an hour.

गजब बे-सुध रहते हैं गहलोत जी, इस साल के बजट का चुनावी प्रचार किया और पढ़ने लगे पुराना बजट!

जनता कुशासन से फैले अंधकार में राहत की रोशनी की सोच रही थी यहां मुख्यमंत्री की बत्ती ही गुल हो गई।

समझ नहीं आ रहा, हंसे या रोएं!#RajasthanBudget pic.twitter.com/3n9vGIMowU — Gajendra Singh Shekhawat (@gssjodhpur) February 10, 2023

 

After the adjournment, BJP MLAs staged a sit-in inside the well of the House.

Several BJP leaders shared the video of Ashok Gehlot's 'blunder' in the House. Amit Malviya, national head of BJP IT Cell, took to Twitter to criticise the Gehlot government and said, "Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot, who also holds the Finance portfolio, while presenting this year’s budget, starts reading an old one. The Chief Whip had to step in and stop him. Embarrassing as it is, also shows how callous and poorly invested Congress is, in matters of governance…"

Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot, who also holds the Finance portfolio, while presenting this year’s budget, starts reading an old one. The Chief Whip had to step in and stop him. Embarrassing as it is, also shows how callous and poorly invested Congress is, in matters of governance… pic.twitter.com/I6a4RnqcKr — Amit Malviya (@amitmalviya) February 10, 2023

 

On the other hand, Vasundhara Raje, former Rajasthan CM & BJP leader said, "For 8 minutes, CM kept reading the old budget. When I was the CM, I used to repeatedly check and read before presenting the budget. You can imagine how safe the state is in the hands of a CM who reads out an old budget."

For 8 minutes, CM kept reading the old budget. When I was the CM, I used to repeatedly check and read before presenting the budget. You can imagine how safe the state is in the hands of a CM who reads out an old budget: Vasundhara Raje, former Rajasthan CM & BJP leader pic.twitter.com/x8UeAkH1a1 — ANI (@ANI) February 10, 2023

 

This budget is critical for the Ashok Gehlot government as it is the last before the state goes for assembly elections later this year.

For the first time, the budget will be shown live in all government and private colleges of the state. Gehlot, who also holds the finance portfolio, will present the budget on the theme of 'Bachat, Rahat, Badhat' (saving, relief, and progress).

He finalised the budget with his team of officers at the Chief Minister's Office on Thursday.

"Rajasthan's budget will bring savings, relief, and progress. Finalised the budget 2023 with the resolution of ensuring #Bachat_Rahat_Badhat of every person of the state," Gehlot said in a tweet on Thursday.

Gehlot has stated on several occasions that the upcoming budget will focus on youth and women and will fulfill the aspirations of the people of the state.

Meanwhile, the college education commissionerate issued an order on Wednesday directing all the government and private colleges of the state to show the budget live.

The colleges have been asked to arrange a live telecast of the budget speech in auditoriums/meeting halls so that a maximum number of students, teachers and heads of institutions can watch it.

(With PTI inputs)