Opposition, allies trash union budget
1 March 2013 1:19 AM GMT
The opposition and allies of the government on Thursday ruled out early elections in the country as the budget was devoid of any popular scheme. Criticising the budget, the principal opposition – the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) – termed it as a cosmetic change. ‘The finance minister has talked about three faces of women, youth and poor. He has treated his duty as over by giving a cosmetic women’s bank. There is no talk about youth employment and there is nothing for the poor. The face of the farmer is not visible at all in the finance minister’s budget and even the aam admi which was the Congress plank is not visible in this budget,’ said Leader of Opposition, Lok Sabha, Sushma Swaraj.
Also, with elections in mind, the two key allies of the United Progressive Alliance (UPA), who provide outside support to the government slammed the union budget and termed it anti-poor and
Anti-farmer. Samajwadi Party (SP) and Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) on Thursday sang the same tune which they did two days ago when they were critical of the railway budget.
‘This budget has completely ignored the farmers. It is only meant for 10 per cent population, while the interests of 65 per cent engaged in farming have been ignored. SP will oppose the budget in Parliament,’ said SP leader Mulayam Singh Yadav. Yadav, however, remained non-committal on what would be the manner in which his party would oppose the budget or whether it will vote against the Finance Bill. He said this budget will to lead to growth of the 10 per cent rich people of the country while the rest will be left out.
SP’s bitter rival BSP was also found on the same page when it came to slamming the government. BSP chief Mayawati said the budget was drafted to confuse the common man and there was nothing new in it and all announcements are in the air. ‘There is nothing new in this budget and neither anything for farmers, employees and the middle class,’ said Mayawati. The BSP chief added that despite large allocations for the SCs/STs in every budget, the money has not helped improve the plight of people from lower castes.
UPA’s former ally, Trinamool Congress (TMC), also came down heavily on the union budget. ‘This is a directionless budget and there is no clarity in it,’ said TMC leader KD Singh.
Also, with elections in mind, the two key allies of the United Progressive Alliance (UPA), who provide outside support to the government slammed the union budget and termed it anti-poor and
Anti-farmer. Samajwadi Party (SP) and Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) on Thursday sang the same tune which they did two days ago when they were critical of the railway budget.
‘This budget has completely ignored the farmers. It is only meant for 10 per cent population, while the interests of 65 per cent engaged in farming have been ignored. SP will oppose the budget in Parliament,’ said SP leader Mulayam Singh Yadav. Yadav, however, remained non-committal on what would be the manner in which his party would oppose the budget or whether it will vote against the Finance Bill. He said this budget will to lead to growth of the 10 per cent rich people of the country while the rest will be left out.
SP’s bitter rival BSP was also found on the same page when it came to slamming the government. BSP chief Mayawati said the budget was drafted to confuse the common man and there was nothing new in it and all announcements are in the air. ‘There is nothing new in this budget and neither anything for farmers, employees and the middle class,’ said Mayawati. The BSP chief added that despite large allocations for the SCs/STs in every budget, the money has not helped improve the plight of people from lower castes.
UPA’s former ally, Trinamool Congress (TMC), also came down heavily on the union budget. ‘This is a directionless budget and there is no clarity in it,’ said TMC leader KD Singh.
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