'Anti-People, Opportunistic': Congress, Mamata, Kejriwal Slam Budget
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman presented the last full budget of the Modi 2.0 govt on Wednesday, 1 February.
From left to right: Mallikarjun Kharge, Mamata Banerjee, and Arvind Kejriwal.
(Photo: Altered by The Quint)
Several Opposition party members criticised the Union Budget 2023-24, presented by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in the Parliament on Wednesday, 1 February, as being "anti-people" and prepared with "an eye towards the 2024 Lok Sabha polls."
Here's what the Opposition had to say about the Budget:
"The budget was presented by the Modi government keeping in view the upcoming Assembly polls in 3-4 states. There's nothing in the budget for poor people and to control inflation. No steps for jobs, to fill government vacancies, and MNREGA": Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge.
"This Union Budget is not futuristic, totally opportunistic, anti-people, and anti-poor. It will benefit only one class of people. This Budget will not help address the country's unemployment issue. It has been prepared with an eye on the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. The changes in the income tax slabs will not help anyone. There is no ray of hope in this Budget – it is a dark dark budget. Give me half an hour and I will show you how to prepare a Budget for the poor": West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee.
"Step-motherly treatment again with the people of Delhi. The people of Delhi paid more than ₹1.75 lakh crore income tax last year. Out of that only ₹325 crore was given for the development of Delhi. This is a gross injustice to the people of Delhi": Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal.
"There was no mention of MGNREGA, poor rural labour, employment, and inflation. Some fundamental questions remain to be answered": Congress MP Shashi Tharoor.
"This budget isn't addressing real sentiment of country that's unemployment and price rise. It only had fancy announcements that were made earlier too but what about implementation? Only insurance companies were benefited from PM Kisan Yojana not farmers": Congress leader KC Venugopal.
"Taxes increased, money is not being spent on welfare schemes and subsidies. Taxes are being collected for some crony capitalists and big businessmen": Former J&K CM Mehbooba Mufti.
"It's a budget presented keeping elections in mind. While some relaxations have been given to the middle class, the government hasn't said anything about Minimum Support Price (MSP) for farmers, employment for youth. Railways was also ignored. It has been a disappointing budget": SP MP Dimple Yadav.
“This year's budget is nothing different. No government points out the shortcomings of last year and makes new promises again, while in reality the lives of more than 100 crore people are at stake as it was before": BSP chief Mayawati.
"There is nothing in this Budget. It is like ‘Sapno Ka Saudagar’ - nothing comes true when you wake up after a dream. Also, nothing was mentioned about how to control inflation and unemployment": JD(U) MP Rajiv Ranjan.
"Overall, other than the tax exemption that they gave from Rs 5 lakh to Rs 7 lakh, nothing seems to be relevant to the people. They gave ornate statements like youth empowerment et cetera. Nothing is mentioned on that. This is a budget to cover up the failures of the Modi government, but unfortunately numbers don't lie": TRS leader K Kavitha.
"It was jugglery of words and there was nothing else in the budget. Except for playing with words and figures, I think the budget is a big flop. The only takeaway is that this budget has been presented under a woman president, by a woman finance minister. That is the only good part about it": NC chief spokesperson Tanvir Sadiq.
(With inputs from PTI and ANI.)
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