FM reads out budget sitting; Cong stages walkout

Congress today staged a walkout in the Gujarat Assembly when Finance Minister Vaju Vala started to read out budget speech sitting on his chair, which the Opposition felt as breaching of the protocol.

Congress on Thursday staged a walkout in the Gujarat Assembly when Finance Minister Vaju Vala started to read out budget speech sitting on his chair, which the Opposition felt as breaching of the protocol.

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Leader of Opposition Shaktisinh Gohil alleged that Vala had breached the protocol by reading the budget speech sitting on a chair.

"Vala has dishonoured the House by reading the speech from his seat. He has done this so that the face of Chief Minister Narendra Modi, who was sitting beside him during the budget, could be seen on (TV) camera," Gohil alleged.

He also alleged that VAT rates on some products in the state are the highest in the country and demanded that government reduce it.

According to Gohil, in addition to the "highest" VAT rates, the government imposed 25 per cent surcharge on the VAT, which should be withdrawn.

Vala is presenting the budget for the 15th time.