Opposition leader Rahul Gandhi, leading the criticism, labelled the compilation the Kursi Bachao Budget, saying Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman’s Union Budget was designed for the BJP fraternity and its crony partners.
Gandhi characterized the budget document as an exercise in cut-copy-paste, claiming it was drawn from the Congress party’s Lok Sabha election manifesto. “Kursi Bachao Budget. Appease Allies: More promises to them at the expense of other states, Crony Capture: Benefits to AA with no respite to the aam Indian, Copy paste: Congress manifesto & previous budgets, he said.
Other Congress leaders seemed to agree with Gandhi’s statements. Former Finance Minister P. Chidambaram said that the FM had “read the Congress Manifesto LS 2024” and had “virtually endorsed several of its propositions, including an employment-linked incentive scheme and an apprenticeship program along with allowances.
Another Congress stalwart, Jairam Ramesh, went a step further and quite ingeniously pronounced that the government designed the internship program not to empower diploma holders and graduates but to grab headlines. At the same time, the Congress manifesto promised a guaranteed package for all.
However, the ruling alliance did not receive the narrative well, as they quickly shot down the narrative. Hailing the budget, Union Home Minister Amit Shah said it encapsulates ‘New India’ under the Modi government; it symbolises hope and sets the nation on a course as it dreams of turning into a developed country.
Since the budget has received a mixed response, the political battle of enthusing for and against it is likely to escalate in the days to come.
