Around the same time Prime Minister Narendra Modi met economists and others for pre-Budget suggestions, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Thursday separately interacted with Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders, giving ammunition to the Opposition to attack her absence from the event.
“What is going on here? Finance Minister indisposed?" Congress leader Shashi Tharoor said in a tweet that shows photograph of the PM’s meeting. “Where is the finance minister? Or has the duo (Modi and home minister Amit Shah) forgotten they have one,” he tweeted.
The finance minister's office replied: “Sir, the minister has already met economists on December 20