Huge Entertainment

The railway budget was presented in the parliament yesterday.

As happens with every budget, there are loads of different reactions to it. Right from, "this budget is pro-people" to "this budget will kill the common man", from "this budget is very balanced" to "well, under the given conditions, even a street-kid could have done better budgeting". There is no end.

These reactions and reactions to reactions are quite entertaining to read. Especially, when the reactions are coming from the opposition party. I will quote right from The Hindu, but don't quote me on that.

Commenting on the Railway Budget presented by Mr Prasad here on Friday, BJP deputy leader V K Malhotra focussed on the "transformed" Minister who had left behind the "kulhar," the "matha," and the "khadi," uniforms for the employees. Mr Malhotra said the emphasis on privatisation and "Western ideas" would mean loss of jobs, and that was not a good idea.

The party also criticised the promise of extending e-ticketing facilities made by Mr Prasad. Asked why the BJP had not criticised the decision when Nitish Kumar as Railway Minister in the National Democratic Alliance had first introduced e-ticketing facilities, Mr Malhotra refused to respond despite the question being repeated.

Some reporters asked the BJP leader whether the party was against better facilities for passengers and were only worried that small vendors at railway stations would lose business. Mr Malhotra said, "Creating jobs is more important".

Isn't that entertaining?