In This Amrit Kaal, People Still Suffering: Opposition Slams Union Budget 2023-24

After the presentation of the Union Budget 2023-24 by FM Nirmala Sitharaman, a host of opposition parties have said that Budget Y23 does not address major issues like price hikes, unemployment, and inflation from which the country is suffering with.

Congress On Union Budget 2023-24

Congress Leader Rahul Gandhi has alleged that the latest Budget proves the government has “no roadmap to build India’s future“.

Taking Twitter, the leader wrote. “Mitr Kaal’ Budget has: NO vision to create Jobs   NO plan to tackle Mehngai   NO intent to stem Inequality   1% richest own 40% wealth, 50% poorest pay 64% of GST, 42% youth are unemployed- yet, PM doesn’t Care! This Budget proves Govt has NO roadmap to build India’s future.”

Congress Chief Mallikarjun Kharge called the budget as “Naam Bade Aur Darshan Chhote Budget (big on announcements and short on delivery).”

“No effort has been made in this budget to find a solution to massive unemployment. Inflation is hurting every household and the common man is in trouble. There is nothing in the budget that would reduce prices of items of daily use,” he said. “Overall, the Modi government has made life difficult for the people. The country’s economy has been deeply hurt,” he added.

Also Read: Budget 2023: New tax regime to be the default, old one to continue too, says Finance Minister

“Anti-People Budget”: Opposition

The Communist Party of India (Marxist) has termed the budget a “contradictory, anti-people budget.”

The Union Budget 2023-24 did not address the central issue of “increasing people’s purchasing power with job generation” and boosting domestic demand, given how the Indian economy has slowed down over the last two years, the party said.

According to the Bihar CM Nitish Kumar, there was nothing substantive in the Budget for Bihar and the demand for a special status for the state, which had been put forward by his government, was also ignored. He has called the Union Budget ‘disappointing.’ Also, he has alleged there is no blueprint in the Budget for employment generation for the youth.

In a series of tweets, Bihar CM wrote, “The Union Budget is disappointing as it lacks foresight. While the budgetary priorities change every year, none have been fulfilled due to a lack of focus and funds. Bihar has been left disappointed with this budget, as, once again, the demand for special status was ignored.”

Also, he wrote in another tweet, “Ahead of the presentation of the Union Budget 2023-24, the Bihar government had demanded a special package of ₹ 20,000 crore from the central government. However, there’s no mention of the same in the Budget. There is no blueprint for opening employment avenues for our youth.”

The Samajwadi Party president, Akhilesh Yadav has also tweeted similar lines and said that the BJP government’s budget actually exacerbates problems like unemployment and inflation. He said that the BJP has never catered to the interests of common people in almost a decade of its budgets, and will not do so even in the future.

Poor Are Suffering In Amrit Kaal: Mayawati

Moreover, Bahujan Samaj Party chief Mayawati said that the Union Budget has no different from previous years in which the concerns of the poor were neglected.

Further, the party chief said that it was only because of the “narrow-minded” policies of the government that the poor are suffering in the so-called “Amrit Kaal”. She added that while the Union government sees the budget as yet another opportunity to make grand announcements and promises, the truth is that the middle class and the poor are suffering because of inflation and unemployment.