"What Are You Going To Wear On Budget Day?" N Sitharaman Alleges Gender Bias

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has flagged the scrutiny she faces over her appearance on Budget Day in what she described as deeply ingrained, often unspoken prejudices about women in public life.

Speaking about the attention her saree attracts every year when she presents the Union Budget, Sitharaman said such commentary was rarely driven by malice, but reflected assumptions that surface casually in everyday conversation. 

"Not that we consciously cherish or nurture it, but it exists within us and often comes out in conversation. Comments like, 'What kind of clothes is she wearing?' or 'What is she doing?' reflect how women are viewed, rather than being seen as individuals with ideas and capabilities," she said. 

The Finance Minister said she often felt compelled to challenge such remarks directly. "I can tell them, 'This is not how it should be done'. As women, we would never look at a man and say, 'He shouldn't do it this way'. We simply wouldn't. I don't think such remarks are usually made with ill intent, but hidden prejudices do surface at times. I'll share my own experience. Every year, it becomes a topic around me, people ask, 'What are you going to wear on Budget Day?' the Finance Minister said. 

Her remarks came against the backdrop of a closely watched Union Budget speech that ran for 124 minutes and set out the government's economic priorities for the coming financial year. 

In her ninth consecutive Budget presentation, Sitharaman announced a significant increase in capital expenditure, setting it at Rs 12.2 lakh crore for the financial year 2026-27. She also outlined a fiscal deficit of 4.3 per cent of gross domestic product.

On taxation, the Budget offered little immediate relief to individual income taxpayers. Those expecting changes in tax rebates or the standard deduction did not find them in the proposals. Instead, taxpayers will transition to the new Income Tax Act from 1 April.

The Finance Minister did, however, announce a tax holiday extending until 2047 for foreign companies providing cloud services that establish data centres in India. She also proposed a simplified tax regime for corporates and announced a rationalisation of the prosecution framework under the new Income Tax Act.