The Opposition parties on Tuesday termed the Union Budget presented by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman “insipid” and “uninspiring” with no relief to the poor, salaried class, middle class and farmers.
“The Finance Minister and the Prime Minister have again deeply disappointed them in direct tax measures. This is a betrayal of India’s salaried class and the middle class,” Congress communication department head Randeep Surjewala said.
“The pockets of the poor, salaried class, middle class, farmers had been empty, but there is nothing for them in the budget. The hopes of the youth are broken but there is nothing for them either. And there is nothing to boost consumption and promote small businesses,” he said.
“Is crypto currency now legal, without bringing the crypto currency Bill, as you tax the crypto currency? What about its regulator… regulation of crypto exchanges and investor protection?” Surjewala asked while talking about the budget announcement that the RBI will roll out a digital currency based on blockchain technology.
Key Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has said there is nothing for the salaried class, middle class, poor and deprived.
Congress leader Shashi has called the budget ‘disappointing’. Shashi Tharoor said, “The budget is disappointing. Will give 2 marks to it.”
“It is very clear that as far as digital currency is concerned, the Govt was heading in that direction. To the best of my knowledge,a reasonable proposition,I don’t think we’ll be criticising that.But we’re more concerned about lack of substance for common citizens in the Budget,” he said.
“Budget has zero for common people who are getting crushed by unemployment and inflation,” alleged West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee.
Trinamool Congress supremo went on to say: “Government is lost in big words signifying nothing. A Pegasus spin budget.”
Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati said the Union Budget has been brought to “woo the public with new promises” and alleged that the Union has forgotten to implement its old announcements.
In a series of tweets in Hindi, Mayawati said, “The Union Budget presented in the Parliament today has been brought to woo the public with new promises, while the implementation of the past promises and old announcements have been forgotten. How appropriate is it? Why is the Centre free from worries of poverty, unemployment, inflation and suicides by farmers.”
“The central government is patting its back. The tax burden has made the life of the people miserable. Hence, it would be better if the Centre makes efforts to reduce the despair and disappointment among the people due to inflation and insecurity,” she said.
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal dubbed the Union Budget 2022-23 as “disappointing” and said it has nothing for the common people.
“People had high expectations from the Budget during the corona period. The Budget has disappointed the people. There is nothing in the Budget for the general public. Nothing to reduce price rise,” Kejriwal said.
“The richest 10% Indians own 75% of the country’s wealth. Bottom 60% own less than 5%. Why are those who amassed super profits during the pandemic, while joblessness, poverty and hunger have grown, not being taxed more?” CPM general secretary Sitaram Yechury sought to know.
The Nationalist Congress party alleged that the ruling BJP “broke the backbone of middle class.”
“BJP broke its own middle class backbone. BJP seized power over the souls of the middle class”, the party tweeted. “For the last six years, the BJP has betrayed the middle class without any change in the tax slab”, it added.
Shiv Sena’s Priyanka Chaturvedi tweeted:
Meanwhile, BJP’s ruling alliance party in BIhar JD-U termed the union budget “disappointing”.
JD-U’s parliamentary board chairman Upendra Kushwaha said, “Union Budget is historic for developed states but for Bihar it is disappointing,” The Hindu reported.
