As the Modi 3.0 government prepares to present its Union Budget for 2025 next week, the focus is also on the traditional Halwa ceremony that takes place just before the budget speech. The ceremony kicks off the 'lockdown' period for officials involved in budget preparations, ensuring the secrecy of the budget document. With the budget session beginning on January 31, the Halwa ceremony is a sweet and symbolic start to the important event.
On the ninth day of Navratri, devotees celebrate Maha Navami by worshipping Maa Siddhidatri, the ninth form of Maa Durga associated with the color purple. Offering kheer, puri, chana, halwa, coconut, and seasonal fruits to the Goddess is believed to fulfill all wishes. On this auspicious day, devotees also perform kanya pujan and seek blessings from the Divine Mother for happiness, prosperity, and wealth. In addition to spiritual vigor, followers believe that dressing up in purple while worshipping Navdurga can also bestow luxury and grandeur.
The Congress has written a letter to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, asking him not to consider farmer leaders' media interaction after meeting with Rahul Gandhi in the Parliament complex last week as a violation of decorum. This comes after Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman criticized Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's "halwa" remark on the halwa ceremony. In her reply to the Budget discussion, Sitharaman also brought up past instances of non-parliamentarians, including women filmstars, interacting with the media on various occasions.
A video of Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman reacting to Rahul Gandhi's comment during the Lok Sabha debate on the Union Budget 2024 has gone viral on social media. In the video, Gandhi questions the absence of OBC, tribal, or Dalit officers in the traditional "halwa ceremony," to which Sitharaman is seen giving a dismissive smile and a facepalm. The incident sparked a debate on social media, with many criticizing the lack of diversity in the ceremony and government.
During the monsoon session of the Lok Sabha, Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi targeted the government over the recently presented Union Budget, drawing parallels to the Mahabharat's Chakravyuh. His speech was interrupted when he tried to show a picture of the budget halwa ceremony, leading to a heated exchange with Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman. Later, Rahul Gandhi promised to conduct a caste census and accused the BJP of dismissing the issue, promising to bring out the "x-ray of the country".
The ruling DMK party in Tamil Nadu distributed 'halwa' in traditional DMK colors with the label 'Zero' to protest against the central government's alleged discrimination towards the state. This campaign, led by DMK leader R S Bharathi, aims to highlight the lack of funds allocated by the central government for Tamil Nadu's development, including the recent floods. DMK's MPs and allies also staged a protest in Delhi against the injustice towards the state. In the midst of this, veteran actress Jaya Bachchan shared her thoughts on relationships and boundaries on her granddaughter's podcast.