Reacting to Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLAs returning iPhones gifted by the state government after Budget presentation, Rajasthan Minister Pratap Khachariyawas on Thursday asked why they had accepted laptops for three years.
He also said that the BJP leaders were getting 'dizzy' during the Budget presentation.
"When the Budget was being presented, the BJP MLAs were getting dizzy. They took bags and iPhones and left. They say they would not accept phones. Why did you accept laptops for three years? It was right at that time and yesterday when the best Budget was presented, they have a problem," said Mr Khachariyawas while speaking to media.
He also challenged the BJP for debate with Congress over the Union Budget presented by the Centre this year and Rajasthan's state Budget.
Earlier, senior BJP leader Gulab Chand Kataria had said that all the party MLAs will return iPhones gifted to them, saying that it will set the wrong precedent.
"All of us have phones, it will set a wrong precedent. All BJP MLAs will return their phones. We will speak with everyone. Normally a bag or briefcase is given in Budget, this was not required," said Mr Kataria to ANI.
After the Rajasthan government gifted 200 MLAs iPhone 13 on Wednesday, the BJP MLAs decided to return the gifts, keeping in view the "financial burden" to the state.
Rajasthan BJP chief Satish Poonia, in a tweet, said that the party's MLAs will return their iPhones.
"After discussion with Gulab Kataria Ji and Rajendra Ji and other legislators, it has been decided that all the BJP MLAs will return the iPhone given by the Congress government keeping in view the financial burden on the state government," said Mr Poonia.
Commenting on the Budget, Mr Poonia said that it looks as if the budget was taken to a beauty parlour and was presented with good makeup.
Notably, the BJP has 71 MLAs in the 200-member House.
Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot-led Rajasthan government had gifted all its MLAs iPhone 13 after the presentation of the Budget in the Assembly.
Last year, the MLAs were presented iPads along with a copy of the Budget.
Usually, the MLAs are given a copy of the budget in a briefcase, but this time, they were presented with a leather briefcase with iPhone 13 inside, along with a copy of the Budget.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
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