’PM Modi aims to transcend divisive politics of caste, religion’: Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman during Mint Summit

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman insisted on Saturday that caste and religion played no role when it came to welfare programs in India. The top official also said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi was looking to go “beyond the caste and religion play” while addressing the Mint India Investment Summit & Awards 2024 on Saturday afternoon. The remarks come mere days before the Lok Sabha elections that will see the Modi-led BJP pitch for a third term at the helm. 

“The divisive politics that we hear today...the Prime Minister aims to transcend divisive politics of caste and religion. There has not been one incident of caste or religious favouring in giving welfare programs,” the Finance Minister said during the Mint India Investment Summit & Awards 2024.

The Finance Minister also highlighted the Modi government's 'relentless efforts to remove stains on India's economy' and its global image over the past decade. As Sitharaman put it: “It was a canvas where perception about India had to change, the way we did business had to change.”

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The Finance Minister also addressed claims that tax notices were being sent for ‘harassment’ in recent weeks. Many individuals, start-ups and other companies have received such missives as the financial year draws to a close on Monday. Sitharaman however flagged a charter that bars CBDT and IT from opening cases related to tax payment after six years to explain the surge. 

“It is not a new method of harassment, it is the compliance for the board to follow the timeline to access for people for whom information is not readily available. Another dimension is, if you are manually keeping your account with the CBDT, they are now being digitised. This is why you have a flurry of notices going out in March,” she explained.