Union Minister and Janata Dal-United leader Rajiv Ranjan Singh on Friday asserted that a Fevicol-like bond held together the alliance between his party, the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Telugu Desam Party as he rejected the Opposition's charge that the Budget appeased the two key allies.
Intervening in the Lok Sabha during a discussion on the Budget, Singh targeted the Congress using a 'snakes and ladders' analogy, saying the party will fall to zero from 99 after being bitten by a snake -- referring to the grand old party winning 99 seats in the Lok Sabha polls.
"Ye pre-poll alliance hai aur ye alliance Fevicol se sata hua hai (This is a pre-poll alliance and it is held together by Fevicol-like bond)... We've seen your character closely and you attack us like a vulture," he said, criticising the Opposition's tactics.
Singh also took a jibe at the Congress's performance in the Lok Sabha polls, saying, "Ninety-nine is a very dangerous number...in a board game you can get bitten by a snake and come down directly to zero. This is just the beginning. In five years, you'll be bitten by a snake and end up at zero," he said, referring to the game of snakes and ladders.
The Congress had won 99 seats in the Lok Sabha polls but its tally went down to 98 after party leader Rahul Gandhi vacated the Wayanad seat from Kerala while retaining Rae Bareli in Uttar Pradesh.
He argued that the budget aims to make India self-reliant, but the opposition is more focused on opposing Prime Minister Narendra Modi than discussing the budget itself.
"The people of this country have chosen him and given him the mandate for a third term," he said to the opposition, amid constant interruptions from them.
The session was marked by demands for points of order by the Opposition, which Jagdambika Pal, who was the presiding officer, dismissed.
Singh highlighted the budget's provision for creating employment for one crore people, accusing the Opposition of being bowled out by Modi's strategies.
He also made a reference to TMC leader Abhishek Banerjee's speech in which he criticised the budget. He also demanded an apology from Banerjee for the alleged mistreatment of women in West Bengal.
When Singh mentioned Congress leader and former Lok Sabha member Adhir Ranjan Choudhary's name, he was asked by Pal to refrain from doing so as the senior leader was no longer a member of the lower house.
Singh claimed that Choudhary had expressed frustration over unmet promises and unheld meetings.
The JD-U leader criticised opposition leaders for their state-centric views, emphasising the budget's "nationwide vision".
"Modi's government is committed to the development of the entire country, not just Bihar and Andhra Pradesh," he asserted.
Congress leader Dependra Hooda objected to Singh's comments that his party colleague Selja discussed Haryana when the debate was on the Budget.
"Haryana is part of India and speaking about it like this... it is both seditious and defamatory," Hooda argued, but Pal dismissed his point of order.
Amid loud protests, Singh clarified his stance, saying all he meant was that this was a discussion on the budget.
Congress MP Jai Prakash from Hisar said the budget was anti-farmer and anti-youth as he called for increased wages under MGNREGA.
Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam MP Durai Vaiko condemned the budget for neglecting his state, attributing it to ideological differences.
"My state has been neglected in the budget. Despite numerous requests, The Centre has adopted a step-motherly attitude towards us...is it because we believe in the teachings of Mahatma Gandhi and BR Ambedkar and not Veer Savarkar and Godse.
"Have we been ignored because we do not believe in politics of hatred or divisive politics? This budget is not for farmers, youth but it is to appease BJP's allies... it is Nitish-Naidu budget," he said.
