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Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman launched a sharp attack on the Congress on Thursday, mocking them for "shedding crocodile tears" over rising debt while simultaneously demanding higher borrowing and increased fund releases to states.
Addressing the Rajya Sabha during the reply to the discussion on the Union Budget 2026-27, Sitharaman said, "Congress sheds crocodile tears about rising debt. They want us to borrow more money and also release funds to the States." Highlighting the principle of no excessive borrowing, she added, "I would like to say that the government cannot borrow excessively. That is a principle that guides us." She remarked that while the Congress is "obsessed about outlays", her administration is focused on "outcomes", further emphasising that the government is not hesitant about providing monetary support to states, but they want results. "We say that we will give you money, but you have to give us outcomes. We want results. The Congress is worried about spending; we are worried about results," she said, drawing a sharp distinction between the government's approach and that of the opposition. An exchange also took place in Parliament, as Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and Rajya Sabha Leader of the Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge argued over Tamil Nadu's fiscal health and mounting debt. The Finance Minister addressed concerns raised by DMK leader P. Wilson about the rising national debt. Responding to Wilson, Sitharaman emphasised that debt reduction is a shared goal of the Centre and the states. "He talked about rising debt and how that's not good. I just want to highlight the facts. The principle is one. We have to take care of reducing debt, whicheverbe, centre, state or everybody," she said. She quoted Edappadi K. Palaniswami, former Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, on the state's debt across different governments, highlighting a sharp spike in borrowing. "He said for 73 years, successive governments in Tamil Nadu accumulated roughly Rs 5 lakh crore in total debt," Sitharaman stated. "But in just four years under the DMK government since 2021, Rs 4.56 lakh crore has been added to this pile". The remarks created an uproar in the house and recieved a sharp rebuttal from Kharge, who questioned why she was speaking about Tamil Nadu's financial situation when it was a discussion about the Union Budget. "We'll take her advice, but the Tamil Nadu government has commited nearly 4 lakh crores, and earlier it was this and that. Are you speaking on the Tamil Nadu budget, or are you speaking on the Indian government budget? This is not fair... It has nothing to do with this house. This is unfair, and I condemn it," he replied. The Budget Session, which began on January 28, comprises 30 sittings over 65 days and will conclude on April 2. The two Houses will adjourn for a recess on February 13 and reconvene on March 9 to enable the Standing Committees to examine the Demands for Grants of various ministries and departments. (ANI)
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