Budget 2023: Five times finance ministers referred to authors, poets in budget speech

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will on Wednesday (February 1) table the Union Budget 2023 in the Parliament, with the public expecting news such as changes in tax slabs and interest rate breaks for house purchases. It can be seen that this is Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman's fifth budget and the last full budget of the Modi government before the Lok Sabha elections that is scheduled to be held in 2024.

Usually, budget speeches last for hours. In the past, several finance ministers have enriched their budget speech by incorporating poetry and quotes from notable writers. Here are five such occasions:

1. Manmohan Singh

In 1991, Congress' Manmohan Singh invoked Victor Hugo while discussing India's economic potential. Hugo famously observed 'No power on earth can stop an idea whose time has come'. The then finance minister mentioned such a thought in his budget speech. 

Also read: Budget of world's fastest growth in economy; Key numbers to watch out for from Nirmala Sitharaman's speech

Singh submitted to the house that "Let the whole world hear it loud and clear. India is now wide awake. We shall prevail. We shall overcome." It can be seen that the 1991 Budget was historic in that it announced major economic reforms in the midst of a widespread crisis.

2. Yashwant Sinha

In 2001, Yashwant Sinha uttered the poem "Taqaazaa hai waqt ka ke toofaan se joojho, kahaan tak chaloge kinaare kinaare?"  You must fight the storms of the times. How long will you walk along the beach?

Also read: Budget 2023: What is Guillotine, how does it help the Centre?

3. P Chidambaram

During his 2007 budget speech, the then finance minister referenced Thiruvalluvar's poem "Kodai Ali Sengol Kudi Ombal Nangum, Udaiyanam Vendharkku Oli". "Generous donations, compassion, righteous leadership, and aid to the oppressed are the hallmarks of good governance," it says.

4. Arun Jaitley

In 2017, Arun Jaitley used an Urdu couplet to suggest that the BJP will efficiently handle the difficulties that the UPA government had left behind. "Kashti chalane walon ne lehar lehar toofan mile aur mauj mauj majhdhaar hamein. In halat mein aata hai daria karna paar humein, phir bhi dikhaya hai humne, aur phir yeh dikha denge sabko."

"In each wave, we discovered storms and rapids. But we have shown, and will continue to demonstrate, that we can cross the river even under these conditions," the couplet said.

Also read: Experts claim Rahul Gandhi's 'pappufication' may be over, says beard symbolises image makeover

5. Nirmala Sitharaman

In her Covid-19 Budget presentation in 2021, Nirmala Sitharaman drew inspiration from Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore to convey an upbeat message in a world that is changing.

"Faith is the bird that feels the light and sings when it is still dark," she explained.

• Arun Jaitley
• Budget 2023
• P Chidambaram
• Rabindranath Tagore
• Thiruvalluvar
• Victor Hugo
• Yashwant Sinha
• Manmohan Singh