EXCLUSIVE: Hema Malini praises Budget 2022, says Jats will side with BJP in upcoming elections

The Union Budget 2022-2023 presented by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman would benefit those in rural areas and is "useful for everyone", Renowned Bollywood actor and BJP MP Hema Malini told ETV Bharat's Anamika Ratna.

New Delhi:Renowned Bollywood actor and BJP MP Hema Malini said on Tuesday that the Union Budget 2022-2023 presented by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman would benefit those in rural areas even as she termed it "useful for everyone".

Speaking to ETV Bharat, the BJP MP from Mathura said there was "something for every community in this budget". "This budget is going to be useful for everyone. People in rural areas will benefit a lot from this budget. Under Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, Uttar Pradesh has seen a lot of development already. What is significant is that this will also connect every house in rural areas. There has already been a suggestion to establish a stable water supply to every house", she said.

Reacting to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's criticism of the budget, Malini said, "Those who criticize will, of course, say things, but I feel this has been a really productive Union Budget. We cannot say that any particular class has not received anything. Farmers were already satisfied with the Modi government, and for them, the budget has introduced several provisions. Farmers in both the Braj (Mathura) region and the entire Uttar Pradesh are with the Bharatiya Janata Party."

Being asked whether she felt BJP's outreach to the Jat community in Western Uttar Pradesh would succeed or not, the MP said that residents living in her area were all 'Krishna followers' and there was no discrimination at all. "All the people living in my area are all Brajwasis and all are followers of Shri Krishna, so there is no discrimination as far as the matter is concerned. I think the sentiment that someone being Jat or someone else will result in them not voting for us is wrong", she noted.

She further said that the coalition of SP and RLD would not affect the BJP vote bank, adding that she had contested in 2014 as well as in 2017, and in both cases, the Jat community was with BJP.