‘Shoots from the hip’: Sitharaman rebuts Rahul Gandhi’s budget criticism, says India needs data-driven Opposition

Responding to criticism from Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, who had accused the government of being “blind to realities” facing the economy, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Monday said that he often “shoots from the hip” and does not rely on strong foundational data while making his points.

In an exclusive interview with Network18 Group Editor-in-Chief Rahul Joshi, Sitharaman said she is open to engaging seriously with opposition feedback but questioned the basis of Gandhi’s remarks

“He is the leader of the opposition in Lok Sabha. I want to take him seriously, and I want to take his observations seriously to see if things can be done better. But most often, I think he shoots from his hip,” she said.

Sitharaman said a credible opposition is essential for democracy, but it must be backed by “good foundational data” so that the government can respond meaningfully.

Referring to Rahul Gandhi echoing US President Donald Trump’s remark describing India as a “dead economy,” she said the comment undermined the opposition leader’s own position.

“Being in India, being in the Parliament, being the Leader of the Opposition… are you saying you are living in a dead economy,” she asked, arguing that such statements “pull the carpet from under his feet.”

Sitharaman emphasised that India needs an opposition that challenges the government with evidence and seriousness.

“When you speak sometimes without any kind of basis… what do I respond on? You are speaking out of thin air. India deserves a better opposition party,” she said.

Sitharaman also termed Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin’s claim that the state has been ignored in the Budget a “sad commentary”, arguing that multiple infrastructure and welfare measures directly benefit both Tamil Nadu and Kerala.

She pointed to super-fast and high-speed rail projects, rare earth corridors and support for coconut farmers as examples of ongoing and planned initiatives.

Sitharaman also highlighted allocations under schemes such as the Viksit Bharat initiatives and MNREGA, along with funding for semiconductors and electronics, saying these sectors and projects have a visible presence in Tamil Nadu.

She added that election-bound narratives should not overshadow broader national allocations and maintained that the Budget’s provisions extend benefits across states rather than excluding any particular region.

Earlier on Sunday, Sitharaman directly responded to criticism from Congress leaders, who had labelled the budget as out of touch with India’s “real crises” such as unemployment, farmer distress, and slowing manufacturing.

Rahul Gandhi called it a “budget that refuses course correction, blind to India’s real crises,” arguing it was more rhetoric than action.

Sitharaman pushed back, saying she was unsure “what course correction he is referring to” and asserting that “the economy and its fundamentals are strong.”