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.