FM Sitharaman slams UPA govt in Lok Sabha, says white paper a 'record for posterity'

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman was speaking in the Lok Sabha on February 9 on the government’s white paper on the Indian economy.

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman slammed the erstwhile United Progressive Alliance government, saying its white paper on the Indian economy is a "record for posterity" that will be remembered by India's youth.

"It is a statement laid with responsibility so that the records of the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha have the factual information on the economy. And that record shall be a record for posterity, for our future, for entire India's youth so that they know what effort it took for a Prime Minister with a vision to restore India to its glory," the finance minister said in Lok Sabha on February 9.

Sitharaman said she will reply in greater detail on the discussion later today.

Amid constant interruptions, Sitharaman said that whenever Congress is in the Opposition it raises a thousand questions. "We sit patiently and listen. But when we stand up to answer, they either walk out or sit here and make noise. They don't have the courtesy to hear replies," the finance minister said.

Citing examples of economic mismanagement mentioned in the white paper, such as the Commonwealth Games held in Delhi in 2010 and the coal scam, Sitharaman said they hurt India's image.

"10 years of one government with some crisis and 10 years of a different government with a different crisis – the comparison shown in this white paper clearly says how if the government handles it with true sincerity, transparency, and putting the nation first, the results are there for everybody to see," she said.

"Equally, when you don't put the nation first, when you put your First Family first, and when you have other considerations than transparency, the results are out there for you to see. So what happened after 2008 when there was a Global Financial Crisis and what happened post the Covid shows clearly that if the intent of the government is sincere…then the result will be good."