Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, who on Friday ditched a colonial-era tradition of carrying Budget papers in a briefcase, said she thought it was “high time to move on from the British hangover.” In a first, Nirmala Sitharaman
introduced the Budget bahi khata (ledger) or red cloth folder enclosed with a string and emblazoned with the national emblem.
Predictably, she was asked about it in her press conference after her Budget speech in parliament.
“Why did I not use a leather bag to carry budget documents? I thought it is high time we move on from the British hangover, to do something on our own. And well, easier for me to carry too,” Nirmala Sitharaman told reporters.
One of her predecessors, P Chidambaram of the Congress, scoffed at her choice. “A Congress finance minister in future will bring an iPad,” the former Finance Minister said, asked to comment on the Bahi Khata.
Nirmala Sitharaman had also tweaked another tradition before the Budget Session. During the “halwa ceremony” – a custom for finance ministers and officials — she untied the red ribbon instead of cutting it; officials said she
believed cutting a ribbon is not considered auspicious.
By definition, the Budget is linked to a “leather bag”. The word “Budget” originates from the French “bougette” or leather bag.
The “budget case” tradition started in the 18th century, when the Chancellor of the Exchequer or Britain’s budget chief was asked to ‘open the budget’ while presenting his annual statement.
In 1860, then British budget chief William E. Gladstone, carried his papers in a red suitcase with the Queen’s monogram in gold. He went on to become prime minister. The same bag was used by several governments.
Down the years, India’s finance ministers have carried briefcases that were red, black, tan or brown.
A past Finance Minister in the 1950s, TT Krishnamachari, carried something that looked like a file bag. Jawaharlal Nehru carried a black briefcase.
Earlier this year, then Finance Minister Piyush Goyal had carried a red briefcase before presenting the Interim Budget.
Former prime minister Manmohan Singh, as the finance minister who delivered the iconic 1991 proposals, carried a black bag. Pranab Mukherjee, as Manmohan Singh’s finance minister, used a red briefcase similar to the
Gladstone case of Britain.
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