Govt announces surprise of iPhone 13 for all MLAs; opposition rejects gift

JAIPUR: Surprise gifts were given to all MLAs following budget presentation. However, the opposition MLAs rejected the gift stating that it would increase the state’s financial burden. The incident took place in Rajasthan. The state’s Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot has gifted the Apple iPhone 13 with a digital copy of the budget to all 200 MLAs of the state. Each iPhone 13 costs about Rs 75,000 to Rs 1 lakh.

However, the gift announced by the Congress-ruled state government was rejected by the BJP-led opposition. The BJP MLAs will return the iPhone keeping in view of the financial burden on the state government, said state BJP president and MLA Satish Poonia.

Last year, Ashok Gehlot government had gifted iPads to the MLAs following the budget. Meantime, Minister Mahesh Joshi has said that the iPhones were gifted as part of the government’s drive to make the state assembly paperless. Expensive iPads and iPhones have been gifted to make the assembly proceedings paperless, he said justifying the government’s move.

BJP MLA Vasudev Devnani lauded the government's decision to become high-tech but criticized the government for spending money on gifts amid financial crises. There are 71 BJP members in the 200-member assembly.