New Delhi: The Rajasthan Assembly was adjourned for half an hour on Friday, soon after Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot read parts of the past Budget instead of budget 2023-24Ahead of the elections in his state later this year.
Embarrassingly for the chief minister, he read out last year’s budget for seven minutes before a noisy opposition pointed to the budget. After this the chief whip stopped Gehlot.
The House was adjourned for half an hour as opposition BJP members created ruckus in the Well of the House protesting against the “old budget”. Even after the proceedings of the House resumed, he was seen sitting in the well.
Leader of Opposition Gulab Chand Kataria said, ‘This budget cannot be presented. Was it leaked?
#Watch , Rajasthan state assembly proceedings disrupted as opposition alleges CM Ashok Gehlot presented old budget today
This budget cannot be presented. Was it leaked?: BJP leader Gulab Chand Kataria pic.twitter.com/Ns4jCrVoYY
– ANI MP/CG/Rajasthan (@ANI_MP_CG_RJ) February 10, 2023
As the uproar continued, Gehlot told the opposition, “You can only point out when there is a difference between what is written in the budget in my hand and the copies given to the members of the House. If by mistake a page has been added to my budget copy, then how does it get leaked?
Later, when the proceedings of the house resumed to hear the correct budget, Gehlot said: “I am sorry. Whatever happened happened by mistake.
The proceedings of the House resumed in the Rajasthan Legislative Assembly;
Presenting the Budget 2023, CM Ashok Gehlot said, “I am sorry, whatever happened happened by mistake.”
The opposition alleges that the CM read the old budget at the beginning of the budget presentation. pic.twitter.com/Gb6Tiae7Yt
– ANI MP/CG/Rajasthan (@ANI_MP_CG_RJ) February 10, 2023
Gehlot, who also holds the finance portfolio, was presenting his budget on the theme “Bachat, Rahat, Badhat (Savings, Relief and Progress)”.
BJP leader and former chief minister Vasundhara Raje reprimanded Gehlot for not reading the document properly before presenting it in the assembly. “This shows the way he is ruling his state… Such a state will definitely suffer,” he said.
BJP MLA Rajendra Rathore said the “presentation of the old budget” brought disrespect to the assembly.
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