New Delhi, Feb. 12 -- Amid opposition attacks on Nirmala Sitharaman's remarks on the Union Budget, Union Minister Ramdas Athawale on Wednesday defended her and said that the Finance Minister presented the reality in front of the nation with facts that the Indian economy has improved in the last 10 years.

"Nirmala Sitharaman presented the reality in front of the nation. She pointed out that the Indian economy has improved in the last 10 years. She presented the facts with data. The opposition claims that the non-BJP states did not get anything. But Nirmala Sitharaman presented the data showing that every state has benefitted... The world is seeing that our economy has reached the fifth position," Athawale said.

Congress MP Priyanka Gandh...