The Lok Sabha on Monday witnessed dramatic scenes during the debate on the Taxation Laws (Amendment) Bill with Congress leader in the House Adhir Ranjan Choudhary targeting Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman with personal remarks and the FM responding in kind.

To Choudhary’s calling her “Nirbala” (weak), Sitharaman said that she and other women MPs of her party are “Sabala” (strong), adding the government is working for the welfare of all, including the weaker sections.

During the debate, Choudhary alleged the ongoing economic slowdown is due to the lack of long-term vision of the Narendra Modi government. He also took potshots at the FM calling her Nirbala saying she is so powerless that she can’t even freely express her views.

The Congress MP also claimed the real reason industrialists are not making any investments is because they don’t confidence in the credibility of the Modi government. In her sharp reply, Sitharaman said her party has empowered all women members and that they all are “Sabala”. She tore into the Congress launching a scathing attack on the alleged crony capitalism of the UPA government.

“There is no Jija (brother-in-law) in this government. The farmers have over Rs 1.1 lakh crores in their bank accounts and that amount hasn’t been credited to them by the Jija. The UPA government didn’t give money to the BSNL to bid for the 4G spectrum,” she said.

Defending the corporate tax cut, she said it was meant to woo fresh investment and generate jobs, adding that “green shoots” were already visible with many foreign as well as domestic companies evincing interest to invest.

Sitharaman said she is being called “the worst finance minister” by the Opposition without even waiting for her to finish her term. She added she is always open to ideas. “If there’s a government that listens, it is Prime Minister Narednra Modi’s government,” she said adding there is no atmosphere of fear as alleged by industrialist Rahul Bajaj recently.