'That's impressive': FM Sitharaman's hilarious faux pas during budget speech has the house and internet in splits

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Also See: Budget Live 2023 | Budget Highlights | Income Tax Slabs 2023

Union Finance Minister (FM) Nirmala Sitharaman presented the last full-fledged Union Budget of the Narendra Modi government before the 2024 Lok Sabha elections on wednesday. She is the sixth minister in independent India to present five consecutive budgets, joining ministers like Manmohan Singh, Arun Jaitley and P Chidambaram.

While presenting the budget, a hilarious gaffe ensued, evoking laughter from all members of parliament in the house.

In a major boost for the automotive industry the FM allocated an "adequate" fund to replace old and polluting government vehicles under scrappage policy.


The entire house chuckled in amusement when Sitharaman mistakenly said old “political vehicles”, immediately correcting herself to say that old “polluting vehicles”. Like a true sport, the FM herself giggled at her slip of tongue.

“Replacing old polluting vehicles is an important part of greening our economy. Under Vehicle Scrapping Policy, allocated adequate funds to replace old state vehicles and state ambulances,” she said.

Many netizens, closely following FM’s speech, felt it wasn't a mistake but Sitharaman deliberately made the gaffe, hinting at how her party BJP replaced the old political dispensation in 2014.


“Impressive slip of tongue,” quipped a user.



Another user agreed with Sitharaman’s assertion of “replacing old political vehicles”.


Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in his address to the media before the start of the Budget session of Parliament on Tuesday, said the whole world had its eyes on India’s 2023 Budget and exuded confidence that an attempt would be made to meet the hopes and aspirations of the people of the country.