The Opposition INDIA bloc MPs staged a protest in the Parliament complex against the Union Budget presented by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman yesterday.
The protesters, including prominent leaders such as Rahul Gandhi, Sonia Gandhi, Mallikarjun Kharge, KC Venugopal, Akhilesh Yadav, and Dola Sen, held placards and chanted slogans like "Opposition virodhi kursi bachao Budget murda baad," denouncing the Budget as discriminatory.
Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge termed the Budget as "deceitful" and "unjust" during the protest. He added that a decision on participating in the General Discussion of the Budget would follow their protest actions.
Kharge had earlier convened a meeting of INDIA bloc Floor Leaders at his residence to strategize their response to the Budget, which they described as biased against non-BJP states.
Congress General Secretary KC Venugopal claimed that this year's Budget undermined the concept of equitable development and was heavily skewed in favor of BJP-ruled states. Congress MP Pramod Tiwari echoed these sentiments, accusing the government of presenting a "BJP budget" rather than one representing the entire country.
"We discussed the budget. Wherever there is a non-BJP government, the budget has been blacked out. In the name of development, there is nothing. we will hold a protest tomorrow in the Parliament regarding this. We will raise our voice inside the Parliament also. This is not the budget of the BJP, it is the budget of the whole country, but they have presented it as if it is BJP's budget," he said.
Rahul Gandhi took to social media to criticize the Budget, labeling it as "Kursi Bachao Budget" and accusing the Finance Minister of making empty promises.
"Kursi Bachao Budget. Appease Allies: Hollow promises to them at the cost of other states. Appease Cronies: Benefits to AA with no relief for the common Indian. Copy and Paste: Congress manifesto and previous budgets,” Gandhi posted on X.
Congress leader Jairam Ramesh highlighted the Budget's omission of funding for the decadal Population Census, which was due in 2021 but has not been conducted.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee also condemned the Budget as politically motivated, directionless, anti-people, and lacking vision.
