Budget 2025: When Finance Ministers' gave poetic touch to their speeches

Over the years since independence, Union Finance Ministers in India have added their own touch to the Budget speech, with some taking longer and others a slight poetic touch.

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman is set to announce the budget on February 1 as the nation eyes potential tax reliefs for the country's middle-class and low-income individuals. 

As we approach Budget 2025, let's take a look at Nirmala Sitharaman, citing a Kashmiri poet and Manmohan Singh, quoting Iqbal while addressing the budget speech to the nation.

List of Finance Ministers' blending poetic verses

1. Nirmala Sitharaman: The current Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, in her 2022 budget announcement, quoted a verse from Mahabharata's Shanti ParvaAdhya to thank the nation's taxpayers who contributed to the government.

“dāpayitvākaraṃdharmyaṃrāṣṭraṃnityaṃyathāvidhi | aśeṣānkalpayedrājāyogakṣemānatandritaḥ ||,” cited the Finance Minister. This phrase translates to - “The king must make arrangements for Yogakshema (welfare) of the populace by way of abandoning any laxity and by governing the state in line with Dharma, along with collecting taxes which are in consonance with the Dharma,” reported Deccan Herald. 

In 2020, Nirmala Sitharaman cited a Kashmiri poet, Pandit Dina Nath Kaul, referring to Shalimar Bagh and Dal Lake in Kashmir.

“Humara watan khilte hue Shalimar bagh jaise, humara watan Dal lake mein khilte hue kamal jaisa, nau jawanon ke garam khoon jaisa, mera watan tera watan, humara watan duniya ka sabse pyara watan.”

In her 2019 speech, Sitharaman quoted Urdu writer Manzur Hashmi while highlighting India's bold target to becoming a $5 trillion economy in the coming few years.

“Yaqin ho to koi rasta nikalta hai hawa ki ot bhi le kar chirag jalta hai,” cited Sitharaman. 

2. Arun Jaitley: Former Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, in 2016, focusing on the state of the economy, cited an Urdu couplet which said -

“Kashti chalaane walon ne jab haar kar di patwar hamein, Lehar lehar toofan mile aur mauj mauj manjdhaar hamein. Phir bhi dikhaya hai humne, aur phir yeh dikha denge sabko, In halato mein aata hai daria karna paar humein,” cited the finance minister.

In 2017 Jaitley cited a poem to welcome the new tax regime.

“Nayi duniya hai, naya daur hai, nayi hai umang, Kuch the pahle se tariqe to kuch hain aaj ke rang-dhang. Roshni aake jo andheron se takdai hai, Kaale dhan ko bhi badalna pada aaj apna rang,” in his speech. 

3. P Chidambaram: The former finance minister in 2013 cited a classic Tamil text from the couplet Thirukural.

“Kalangathu kanda vinaikkan thulangkathu thookkang kadinthu seyal,” which translates to “What clearly eye discerns as right, with steadfast will and mind unslumbering, that should man fulfil,” as per the news portal's report. 

4. Yashwant Sinha: In the budget speech of 2001, Yashwant Sinha recited a poem to target the reforms introduced via the Budget announcement.

“Taqaazaa hai waqt kaa ke toofaan se joojho, kahaan tak chaloge kinaare kinaare,” Cited Sinha. This means that when time requires you to fight the battles (storms) how long will you keep walking on the sea shore?

5. Manmohan Singh: In the important Budget speech of 1991, Manmohan Singh quoted Allama Iqbal.

“Yunaan-o-Misr-o-Rom sab mit gaye jahaan se/ Ab tak magar hai baaki, naam-o-nishaan hamara,” said Singh. This reference meant that old civilisations in Greece, and Rome have vanished but ours must continue to thrive.