'Kisko khilaya?': Rahul Gandhi's swipe at Centre for not releasing Halwa ceremony photos ahead of Budget

Congress MP Rahul Gandhi spoke in the Lok Sabha during a debate on the President's address to a joint sitting of Parliament. (PTI)

Congress MP and Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Monday took a dig at the Centre for not releasing the photographs of the customary halwa ceremony ahead of the Union Budget.

In his address to Lok Sabha during a debate on the Motion of Thanks to the President's address, Rahul pointed to the absence of any photographs of the halwa ceremony that signifies a key stage in the process leading to the Budget presentation.

"Before this year's budget there was no photograph, I was appalled that they served the halwa but did not reveal who it was served to," Rahul said while claiming that there was no Dalit, tribal or OBC official present during the Halwa ceremony.

"Halwa khilaya magar dikhaya nahi kisko khilaya (They served Halwa but did not reveal who they served it to)," Rahul said.

During his address, Rahul mentioned the findings of the caste survey carried out by the Telangana government. Almost 90 percent of the population of Telangana, he claimed, constitutes Dalits, tribals, backward classes and minorities.

"I am convinced that this is the story across the country. I am certain that the OBC population of our country is at least 55 percent," he said, harping back to his earlier demand of a pan-India caste census.

During his address, Rahul also laid down his vision for an alternative address by the President of India and outlined the significance of a production boost and AI in the next revolution in India.

Rahul further said that a robust production system would ensure that India's foreign policies are aligned in the interest of the nation, and not of companies who currently hold the entire production and consumption data.

A robust production, he added, is also crucial to take on China which he claimed was at least a decade ahead of India in production and data storage. "The consumption data in US is held by the US government. In China, it is the government there. In India, it is the companies who hold all our consumption data," he said.