"Dr (Manmohan Singh) Saheb was an honest person, but the people below hardly left any department where there was no scam. Today, the seven-year-old Modi government does not face even one scam of seven paise. This is an honest government," he said while participating in a discussion on the Budget in the Rajya Sabha.

 

Targeting the opposition over the new agricultural laws, he said that every law will seem black to those who have an evil eye.

 

Thakur also responded to the accusations pertaining to disinvestment of public sector undertakings by the Modi government. "Who is responsible for the bad condition Air India is in? Who started the privatisation of six airports in the country? the BJP leader asked.

 

Talking about the Budget, the MoS said that interest rates were going down at present. "Many new facilities are being offered. So, the common people and the poor are getting houses. The Modi government will also make the country an economic powerhouse. Today, India has emerged as the second largest manufacturer of mobile phones. Seven large textile parks have been set up," he said.

 

Thakur said that intellectuals across the country were consulted before the Budget for the next fiscal was made.

 

The Minister claimed that due to stubbornness of the Mamata Banerjee government, lakhs of farmers of Bengal could not get the benefit of PM Kisan Samman Nidhi.