Shiv Sena MP Shrikant Shinde on Wednesday backed the Union Budget 2026 in the Lok Sabha and launched a sharp attack on Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi, even as the BJP intensified its offensive against the Congress leader over the controversy surrounding former Army Chief General M.M. Naravane's unpublished memoir.
Speaking during the Budget debate, Shinde congratulated Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman for presenting her ninth consecutive Budget and said the scale of the financial plan reflected India's economic growth over the past decade. Comparing figures, he said the Union Budget had expanded significantly under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership.
Targeting Rahul Gandhi's criticism of the India-US trade agreement, Shinde mocked his remarks, particularly his martial arts analogy. "Even today, I only heard 'grip, choke'. Is this a discussion on the Budget or martial arts?" he asked. In a jibe, he said a disclaimer should accompany Gandhi's speeches stating, "This speech is purely fictional and has no relation to true events."
Shinde also accused the Opposition of disrupting proceedings and questioned the INDIA bloc's internal cohesion, saying its allies should first resolve their own issues before speaking about international agreements. He dismissed Gandhi's concerns over the India-US deal, defended the government's economic record, and asserted that sectors like textiles were performing strongly. Referring to Congress' electoral performance, he claimed the party had suffered repeated defeats over the past decade.
The remarks came amid a parallel political storm over the unpublished memoir Four Stars of Destiny by former Army Chief General Manoj Mukund Naravane. The BJP accused Rahul Gandhi of spreading misinformation regarding the book's contents.
BJP National General Secretary Tarun Chugh alleged that Gandhi was misleading the country for "cheap popularity" and demanded a public apology. BJP MP Damodar Agrawal and spokesperson C.R. Kesavan also said the book had not been published and accused the Congress of spreading false claims.
General Naravane on Tuesday broke his silence, endorsing his publisher Penguin Random House India's statement that the memoir has not been published in any format and that no copies were printed, distributed, or made available publicly. The publisher clarified that it holds exclusive rights and that reports about circulated copies were incorrect.
Rahul Gandhi had earlier raised questions linked to the memoir, triggering heated exchanges in Parliament. While the BJP termed his claims "fake and fraudulent," CPI(M) MP Amra Ram criticised the government's handling of the issue and said the Opposition should be allowed to raise concerns in the House.
The controversy has deepened political tensions in Parliament, with the ruling BJP accusing the Congress of misinformation, and the Opposition questioning transparency and seeking clarity over the matter.
(With inputs from IANS)
