Mallikarjun Kharge Criticizes Union Budget for Ignoring Opposition States
New Delhi [India], July 24: Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge criticized the Union Budget presented by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, alleging it favored only Bihar and Andhra Pradesh while ignoring other states.
Kharge’s Allegations
Speaking in the Rajya Sabha, Kharge, who is the Leader of Opposition, claimed the budget was designed to save the BJP-led government, which relies on support from JD-U and TDP. He said, “The budget that was presented yesterday, no state got anything…all plates empty and in two plates, there is pakora and jalebi,” referring to budget announcements concerning Bihar and Andhra Pradesh.
Kharge listed several states, including Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, Delhi, and Odisha, that received no allocations. He condemned the budget, stating it was done to please certain parties and save the government’s position.
Protests by Opposition Leaders
Opposition leaders, including Rahul Gandhi, Sonia Gandhi, Akhilesh Yadav, and Dola Sen, protested in the Parliament complex against the budget. They raised slogans like “Opposition virodhi kursi bachao Budget murdabad” and held placards to express their discontent.
Sitharaman’s Response
With Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar asking Sitharaman to respond, Kharge remarked that she was an expert in speaking. The Chairman noted that Sitharaman was like Kharge’s daughter in terms of age.
Kharge emphasized that it was wrong not to make allocations for states ruled by parties not allied with BJP, stating, “The places where opposition parties came to power, where people have rejected you, have been deprived. If it is not balanced, how will we develop?”
Conclusion
Sitharaman made major announcements for Bihar and Andhra Pradesh, including a boost in infrastructure, but the opposition remains critical of the budget’s fairness.
Doubts Revealed
Mallikarjun Kharge -: Mallikarjun Kharge is a senior leader of the Indian National Congress, a major political party in India. He is currently the president of the Congress party.
Union Budget -: The Union Budget is a financial statement presented by the government of India every year. It outlines the government’s revenue and expenditure for the upcoming year.
Finance Minister -: The Finance Minister is a government official responsible for managing the financial affairs of the country. Nirmala Sitharaman is the current Finance Minister of India.
Bihar and Andhra Pradesh -: Bihar and Andhra Pradesh are two states in India. Bihar is located in the eastern part of the country, while Andhra Pradesh is in the southern part.
Rajya Sabha -: The Rajya Sabha is the upper house of India’s Parliament. It represents the states and union territories of India.
BJP -: BJP stands for Bharatiya Janata Party, a major political party in India. It is currently the ruling party at the national level.
Rahul Gandhi -: Rahul Gandhi is a prominent leader of the Indian National Congress party. He is the son of Sonia Gandhi and the grandson of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.
Sonia Gandhi -: Sonia Gandhi is a senior leader of the Indian National Congress party. She is the widow of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi and the mother of Rahul Gandhi.
