Sitharaman Accuses Opposition of Damaging India’s Global Standing

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman accused the Opposition of conspiring to tarnish India's image and deter foreign investors. During her response to the Budget 2024-25 discussion in the Lok Sabha, she claimed that India's social fabric, parliamentary traditions, economy, and armed forces are under severe attack.

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She highlighted that India's diverse society has been united through generations of hard work. However, she warned that current conspiracies aim to expose societal fault lines and create mistrust through falsehoods and deceit. She noted that even a small spark could lead to significant conflict.

Attacks on Armed Forces

Sitharaman also pointed out that the armed forces are facing intensified attacks under various pretexts. She alleged that the current issues surrounding Agniveer are part of this broader conspiracy. She stressed that these attacks extend beyond society to include the economy, Parliament, and the military.

She lamented the spread of negativity towards entrepreneurs, who she described as the backbone of India's economy. According to her, there is a deliberate effort to undermine entrepreneurship culture before it fully develops, particularly targeting Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs).

Economic Instability Concerns

The Finance Minister expressed concern over rumours suggesting that Indian institutions cannot guarantee security for foreign investments. She emphasised that this situation is detrimental to India's image as a safe investment destination.

Sitharaman accused certain forces of promoting strategic, economic, and political instability. She urged collective action against those fostering instability, stating, "We should all fight together so that such kind of instability-building people should be taught a lesson."

Parliamentary Disruptions

She criticised the frequent protests during parliamentary debates, noting that answers often go unheard. She recalled instances where Prime Minister Narendra Modi faced significant disruptions while speaking in the house.

Sitharaman concluded by stressing the importance of recognising the hard work of Indian citizens who have struggled to recover from COVID-19. She urged representatives to acknowledge this effort and not undermine India's growth trajectory.