In longest-ever Budget speech, Nirmala Sitharaman reads out 13,331 words in 160 minutes: Full textFinance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Saturday spoke for a record 160 minutes as she delivered a 13,331-word speech while presenting the Union Budget 2020 in Lok Sabha.
She had to even cut short her Budget speech as she felt unwell before she could finish the speech.
With two pages of her Budget speech unread, she opted to discontinue the speech as she appeared uneasy and was seen wiping sweat from her forehead.
She asked Speaker Om Birla to consider the remaining part of her speech as read.
Breaking her own record of a 2-hour-17- minute-long maiden Budget speech in July 2019, Sitharaman delivered the longest Budget speech by any finance minister.
Tax was the most used keyword in her speech
The Finance Minister later laid budget documents and demand for grants for the next financial year in Rajya Sabha.
The Upper House, which met around 1:30 pm for the tabling of budget documents, was adjourned as her speech was still continuing in Lok Sabha.
The Rajya Sabha met again at 1:55 pm but was again adjourned for 10 minutes as Sitharaman reached late.
When she arrived in the upper house, many members approached her and were seen asking her wellbeing.
After laying of papers, Chairman Venkaiah Naidu adjourned the House till Monday.
(With PTI inputs)