BJP lawmakers to return ‘iPhone 13’ received as gift from Rajasthan govt

The Rajasthan government on Wednesday (February 23) gifted the latest iPhone 13 to all the 200 MLAs after presenting the state budget.

However, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) legislators decided to return the iPhones “keeping in view the financial burden” it entailed on the state exchequer.

Last year, all the 200 MLAs were presented iPads along with a copy of the budget, just after the tabling of the state budget by Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot. 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.

Yesterday, after the chief minister presented budget and the house was adjourned for the day, all the MLAs were given a briefcase with an iPhone 13 at the time of exit.

The phone costs above Rs 70,000.

A ruling party MLA said, “The assembly is going paperless and the effort is to make members of the house hi-tech.”

PHED Minister Mahesh Joshi also said the smartphones have been distributed to make the system paperless and MLAs hi-tech.

However, the Opposition has decided to return the gift.

Rajasthan BJP chief Satish Poonia, in a tweet, said that the party’s MLAs will return their iPhones

“After discussion with honourable @Gulab_kataria ji and @Rajendra4BJP ji and other legislators, it has been decided that all the @BJP4Rajasthan MLAs will return the iPhone given by the Congress government keeping in view the financial burden on the state government,” he tweeted.

माननीय @Gulab_kataria जी और @Rajendra4BJP जी तथा अन्य विधायकों से चर्चा के बाद यह निश्चित हुआ है कि @BJP4Rajasthan के सभी विधायक राज्य सरकार पर पड़ने वाले वित्तीय भार को दृष्टिगत रखते हुए कांग्रेस सरकार द्वारा दिये गए iPhone वापस करेंगे।@BJP4India @JPNadda @PMOIndia https://t.co/pV0GQMtTWw

— Satish Poonia (@DrSatishPoonia) February 23, 2022

Commenting on the budget that was presented in the House, Poonia said that it looks as if the budget was taken to a beauty parlour and was presented with good makeup.

Notably, BJP has 71 MLAs in the 200-member House.

Criticising the government move, BJP MLA and former minister Vasudev Devnani said it’s good and welcoming to go paperless and become hi-tech, but spending such a huge amount, “that too when the state’s economy is in a poor shape, is not justified”.

प्रदेश का बजट सिर्फ़ हवाई कल्पनाओं एव क़र्ज़े को बढ़ाने वाला हैं।1500 करोड़ रुपये से आगामी 2 वर्षों में 6 नये शहरों को स्मार्ट सिटी बनाने की घोषणा छलावा हैं ।पूर्व बजट की भाँति चिकित्सा सेवाओं के सुधार एव नई संस्थानो की घोषणा बिना कार्ययोजना के सिर्फ़ झूठ का पुलिंदा हैं।

— Vasudev Devnani (@VasudevDevnani) February 23, 2022

‘Today’s budget is taking the state towards more than Rs 5 lakh crore debt. The revenue collection is declining. In such a time how far is it justified to buy such an expensive phone?” he asked.

News Credit: India TV News