Business
‘Departure from slavery of western thought’: Sitharaman presents budget documents ‘the bahi khaata way’
In a first, the Finance Minister of India Nirmala Sitharaman on Friday was seen hugging the budget documents wrapped in a red cloth, the traditional ‘bahi khaata’ way, instead of the leather briefcase that until now her predecessors marched out with.
Chief Economic Advisor K. Subramanian said that it was a departure from “slavery of western tradition”. The red cloth symbolises the ‘bahi khaata’ traditionally used in every Indian business set-up to maintain accounts.
Chief Economic Advisor Krishnamurthy Subramanian on FM Nirmala Sitharaman keeping budget documents in four fold red cloth instead of a briefcase: It is in Indian tradition. It symbolizes our departure from slavery of Western thought. It is not a budget but a ‘bahi khata'(ledger) pic.twitter.com/ZhXdmnfbvl
— ANI (@ANI) July 5, 2019
Sitharaman was seen carrying the red cloth wrapped budget papers that was neatly bound with the auspicious yellow and red ribbon. The Lion Capital shone brightly on top of the bahi khaata, as the first-time Finance Minister walked out of the North Block.
