Budget 2021: Nirmala Sitharaman has quoted poet Thiruvalluvar.
During her third Budget presentation, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Monday quoted a couplet of Tamil poet Thiruvalluvar that describes the quality of a good king.
"A king/ruler is the one who creates and acquires wealth, protects and distributes it for common good," Ms Sitharaman said while quoting from the Thirukkura book before announcing her proposal for direct tax.
This was the second time Ms Sitharaman has quoted poet Thiruvalluvar.
During the presentation of Budget last year, she quoted Thiruvalluvar mentioning the ''five jewels'' required by a good country.
Quoting the seer's thoughts, Ms Sitharaman had read in Tamil: "Pini Inmai Selvam Vilaivu Inbam Emam Ani Enba". She further translated it in English, saying five jewels are required for a good country, that are -- one which is without illness, one with wealth, it should have good crops, it should have happiness as well as safety and security."