Union Budget 2024 | How Opposition reacted to FM Nirmala Sitharaman's speech

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman presented the Union Budget for 2024-25 on Tuesday, her seventh straight presentation, surpassing the record of former prime minister Morarji Desai.

This is the first budget during Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government's third term in office.

Though the budget was hailed by the BJP and its allies, the Opposition has slammed the Central government.

Congress leader and Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi

Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday, dubbed the Union Budget a "kursi bachao budget" and claimed it makes "hollow promises" to BJP allies at the cost of other states.

The Congress leader claimed that the "copy-paste government" has borrowed heavily from the party's manifesto for the Lok Sabha polls.

In a post on X, Gandhi said, "'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."

TMC MP Kalyan Banerjee

TMC MP Kalyan Banerjee took a dig at the ruling government and said that it is a budget for the NDA government.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee dubbed the Union Budget as "politically biased and anti-poor" and slammed the Centre for "depriving" the state.

Talking to reporters, the West Bengal CM said, "Bengal has been completely deprived in this Union Budget. This doesn't look into the interest of the poor. The budget is politically biased. This is directionless and has no vision. It is only to serve a political mission."

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray said that Maharashtra was not mentioned even once by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in her Union Budget speech, and alleged bias against the state despite being the largest taxpayer.

In a post on X, Thackeray also accused the Centre of looting Maharashtra by installing a "corrupt regime" and then through taxes.

The Shiv Sena (UBT) leader said, "I can understand the BJP wanting to save its government and giving Bihar and Andhra Pradesh a huge sum of the budget. But what is Maharashtra's fault? That we are the largest taxpayer? What did we get against what we contributed?"

"Was Maharashtra mentioned even once in the budget? Why does the BJP hate and insult Maharashtra so much? This isn't the first time, through the entire past decade of BJP's government, we have seen this bias against Maharashtra," Thackeray added.

Delhi Finance Minister and AAP leader Atishi

Delhi Finance Minister Atishi said that despite paying Rs 2.32 lakh crore in taxes to the BJP-led Centre, the national capital has not even got a single penny as its share in central taxes in the Union Budget presented by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in the Lok Sabha.

Addressing a press conference, Atishi said that Delhi had demanded a budgetary allocation for the MCD, but it did not get even a single rupee from the Centre.

"Delhi is the growth engine of the country. It pays more than Rs 2 lakh crore in income tax to the Centre and Rs 25,000 crore as central GST. Despite paying Rs 2.32 lakh crore in taxes to the Centre, Delhi was asking for just Rs 20,000 crore, which is just 0.4 per cent of the Union Budget. But no money was given as its share in central taxes or to the MCD," the AAP leader said.

TMC leader Kunal Ghosh

TMC leader Kunal Ghosh took to X and said, "This budget should not be labeled as union budget. It is a budget to keep Andhra Pradesh and Bihar happy. To save one's chair and keeping some others in good humour."

The TMC leader added, "There is no direction to solve the main problems of the country. An attempt to spread confusion in the juggling of words and numbers. A reflection of the financial and political bankruptcy of the Centre."

Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav

Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav criticised the BJP-led government and the budget. He said, "they have increased unemployment in the last 10 years."

Yadav added, "Sarkaar bachani hai toh acchi baat hai ki Bihar aur Andhra Pradesh ko vishesh yojnao se joda gaya hai (to save the ruling government, it is good that Bihar and Andhra Pradesh have been linked with special schemes.)"

Congress MP Shashi Tharoor

Congress MP Shashi Tharoor termed the budget as an 'underwhelming budget' and said that it had no mention of MNREGA.

He said, "It is an underwhelming budget. I didn't hear anything about the key issues facing the common man. There is no mention of MNREGA, and insufficient mention of steps taken to improve the income of a common person. We have seen far too little from govt on addressing income disparity."

"On job creation, a token gesture was made. I welcome only one provision which is abolishing of tax on angel investors. I had recommended it to Arun Jaitley more than 5 years ago," Tharoor added.

Congress leader P Chidambaram

Taking to X, senior Congress leader P Chidambaram said, " I am glad to know that the Hon'ble FM has read the Congress Manifesto LS 2024 after the election results. I am happy she has virtually adopted the Employment-linked incentive (ELI) outlined on page 30 of the Congress Manifesto."

"I am also happy that she has introduced the apprenticeship scheme along with an allowance to every apprentice spelt out on page 11 of the Congress Manifesto I wish the FM had copied some other ideas in the Congress Manifesto. I shall shortly list the missed opportunities," the Congress leader added.

RJD leader Manoj Kumar Jha

Expressing disappointment over the budget, RJD leader Manoj Kumar Jha said that there is no out-of-the-box thinking regarding core sectors.

Jha said, "This Budget is again a disappointment. The country's primary concern is unemployment. The organic model should have been introduced. The core sectors like labour, farmers, youth...there is no out-of-the-box thinking for them."

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Priyanka Chaturvedi

Dubbing the budget 'Pradhan Mantri Sarkar Bachao Yojana', Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Priyanka Chaturvedi said a package has been given to alliance partners Bihar and Andhra Pradesh to save the government.

She said, "I will give a title to this Budget - 'Pradhan Mantri Sarkar Bachao Yojana'. In an attempt to save their government for five years, they have given a package to their alliance partners in Bihar and Andhra Pradesh. They should be ashamed."

"They have two alliance partners in Maharashtra. Maharashtra is the biggest tax-paying state, but it has never received funds from the Centre. Don't we have infrastructure needs?" Chaturvedi added.

CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury

CPI(M) General Secretary Sitaram Yechury said, "The issues like increasing unemployment, inflation and food prices were not addressed properly as they should have been. The government expenditure as per GDP has decreased. The economy will contract so the problem of the people will increase... Subsidies have been decreased."

"The economic activity has to be increased to increase the employment generation... The incentives to the employers will not increase the employment generation opportunities," Yechury added.

Union Budget 2024 LIVE | Making a record for any Finance Minister, Nirmala Sitharaman presented her 7th consecutive Union Budget on July 23, 2024 under the Modi 3.0 government. This Budget brought tax relief for the middle class, while focusing on jobs through skilling, incentivising employers. Track the latest coverage, live news, in-depth opinions, and analysis only on Deccan Herald. Also follow us on WhatsApp, LinkedIn, X, Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram.