Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on February 1 presented the Budget in parliament in the morning. Later, she addressed questions from journalists at a post-Budget press conference.

What became the highlight of the event was rather amusing — it was when Sitharaman intervened on behalf of a woman journalist who was reprimanded for asking two questions instead of one.

“Why do you say that only to her? You didn’t stop the guys,” Sitharaman said to a colleague who had requested the journalist to ask only one question. 

Members of Sitharaman’s  team, who were sitting on either side of her, could not help laughing. Her remark drew laughter from the audience as well.

Here’s how the event unfolded: journalist Gulveen from The Economic Times got an opportunity to ask a question to Nirmala Sitharaman. Sitharaman, by that time, had already answered several questions from other journalists at the press conference which was streamed live on the government’s Press Information Bureau YouTube channel for over three hours. Many of the journalists had asked more than one question.

However, when Gulveen from The Economic Times said she had two questions for Sitharaman, the finance minister’s colleague interrupted and said: “No, only one… others are there.”

This is when Sitharaman intervened in support of the journalist, drawing appreciative laughter and giggles from the audience. Before continuing, the journalist was heard thanking the finance minister.