JAIPUR: The Rajasthan government Wednesday gifted the latest iPhone to all the 200 MLAs after presenting the state budget.
However, BJP legislators decided to return the iPhones "keeping in view the financial burden" it entailed on the state exchequer.
Last year, all the 200 MLAs were gifted I-pads, just after the tabling of the budget by Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot.
On Wednesday, after the chief minister presented budget and the house was adjourned for the day, all the MLAs were given a briefcase with an iPhone 13 at the time of exit.
The phone costs above Rs 70,000.
A ruling party MLA said, "The assembly is going paperless and the effort is to make members of the house hi-tech."
PHED Minister Mahesh Joshi also said the smartphones have been distributed to make the system paperless and MLAs hi-tech.
However, the Opposition BJP has decided to return the gift.
"After discussion with honorable @Gulab_kataria ji and @Rajendra4BJP ji and other legislators, it has been decided that all the @BJP4Rajasthan MLAs will return the iPhone given by the Congress government keeping in view the financial burden on the state government," he tweet tonight.
The BJP has 71 MLAs in the house of 200.
Criticising the government move, BJP MLA and former minister Vasudev Devnani said it's good and welcoming to go paperless and become hi-tech, but spending such a huge amount, "that too when the state's economy is in a poor shape, is not justified".
'Today's budget is taking the state towards more than Rs 5 lakh crore debt. The revenue collection is declining. In such a time how far is it justified to buy such an expensive phone?" he asked.