New Delhi: Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee was left red faced while presenting the Budget for 2009-10 in the Lok Sabha on Monday when he skipped two key paragraphs relating to the allocations for the minorities.
He realised this only after a note written on a piece of yellow paper was placed on the lectern before him. After glancing through the note, Mukherjee apologised and sought Speaker Meira Kumar's permission to re-visit the paragraphs he had skipped.
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) members tried to protest, but Mukherjee did not pay them any heed - and neither did the Speaker.
Bihar MPs sore over scanty allocation
Members from Bihar were angry over what they termed the "negligent attitude" of the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) toward their state in the Budget.
The first voice of protest came from Rashtriya Janata Dal chief and former railways minister Lalu Prasad Yadav, who reached the House 30 minutes late. When Lalu Prasad said there was "nothing" in the Budget for Bihar, Mukherjee said: "I will see to it."
Lalu Prasad, however, continued with his protest and Mukherjee again said: "I will see to it."
The Finance Minister, however, did not react when the BJP's Shahnawaz Hussain and members of his party, as also of the Janata Dal-United voiced their protest after the conclusion of his speech.
And, even as Hussain called for a walkout by Bihar MPs, the Speaker simultaneously announced that the House had been adjourned for the day.
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