Why no mention of demonetisation in budget: Uddhav

Chief minister Uddhav Thackeray, once again, raised questions over demonetisation, asking why the crucial decision by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2016 was not

Chief minister Uddhav Thackeray, once again, raised questions over demonetisation, asking why the crucial decision by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2016 was not part of the budget document.

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Thackeray was speaking after releasing former chief minister Devendra Fadnavis’s booklet on budget at the central hall of the state legislature.

Leaders across the party lines, including Thackeray, his deputy Ajit Pawar and legislative council chairman Ramraje Naik Nimbalkar, shared the dais and made political remarks at the function.

The book, Arthsankalp Sopya Bhashet (Budget Simplified), was released by the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association’s state body.

Referring to the book, which explains various aspects of the budget in a simplified manner, Thackeray said the book was
useful to common man and he wishes that Fadnavis should write the book ahead of every state budget for the next five to 10 years.

“Every budget has a mention of commodities for which taxes are changed, be it shoes, leather bags or incense sticks and match boxes. If the budget has the mention of smallest possible things and every penny spent, why was the note ban (of November 2016) not announced through the budget,” he asked.

Thackeray’s party Shiv Sena was part of the NDA until recently and had been vociferous against the note ban even while part of the ruling alliance.

Deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar said Fadnavis has proved himself as a good author by writing this book and he needs to shift to Delhi for better prospects.

“He should now try his hand at literature. Ram Naik (former Uttar Pradesh governor who was present in the audience) should recommend his name to the party leadership for Delhi politics. All 288 MLAs in the Assembly will have happiest days in such a case. Sudhir Mungantiwar (fomer finance minister and senior BJP legislator who wanted the post of Opposition leader) will be the happiest person if Fadnavis is shifted to Delhi,” he quipped.

Nimbalkar said that one should learn from Fadnavis to be aloof after having a role in everything.

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