New Delhi:
BSP supremo Mayawati has dubbed the Union Budget presented in Parliament on Thursday as anti-poor and pro-capitalists. In a statement, she said, like the previous budgets of the Narendra Modi government, this one was also 'anti-poor and pro-capitalists'.
"What happened to Modi's promise of 'achchey din' he had made before the Lok Sabha polls in 2014?" she asked.
Mayawati also accused the prime minister of making 'misleading speeches and claims'.
The BJP-led NDA government has cared a fig for the poor, the laborers, the farmers and the working class as a result of which unemployment is rising and the chasm between the rich and the poor widening, she claimed.
On the other hand, the Sharad Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) described the Union Budget as 'disappointing' and claimed that it would increase inflation and hurt the common man.
"The budget proposals will pinch the pocket of the common man," party spokesman Nawab Malik said.
"The (Narendra) Modi government is running away from the basic responsibility of providing health services and is handing over the sector to the insurance companies," he added.
Ridiculing the budget proposal to increase farmers' income, Malik said, "Even the minimum support price announced earlier was not paid to the farmers. This is nothing but a 'jumla' (gimmick) budget."
The NCP leader also criticised the BJP-led government for initiating strategic disinvestment in 24 public sector undertakings (PSUs), including Air India, by setting Rs 80,000 crore as the disinvestment target for 2018-19. "This budget has been tabled to sell off government resources to private companies," he alleged.
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Expressing disappointment over the General Budget, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal also criticised the Budget for the financial year 2018-19 and said the Centre was 'continuing' with its 'step-motherly' treatment to Delhi.
Kejriwal said he had expected some financial assistance for important infrastructure projects for the national capital. His deputy Manish Sisodia also expressed unhappiness over Delhi's share in central taxes and duties remaining unchanged, saying the BJP-led Centre treats Delhi residents as 'second-grade citizens'.
There is nothing for the middle class and traders in this budget. Completely ignored
— Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) February 1, 2018
The Arvind Kejriwal-led Delhi government has been demanding that the share in central taxes and duties for the city should be increased.
"I had expected some financial assistance to important infrastructure projects for the nation national capital. Am disappointed that the Centre continues its step-motherly treatment to Delhi," Kejriwal tweeted.
I had expected some financial assistance to important infrastructure projects for national capital. Am disappointed that Centre continues its step-motherly treatment to Delhi
— Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) February 1, 2018
Sisodia, who also holds the finance portfolio, hit out at the central government, saying it does not care for Delhi.
"Disappointing #Budget2018. Not a single extra rupee increased in Delhi?s share in Central taxes since 2001-02, stays at Rs 325 Cr. No other part of India gets such treatment (sic)," he said in a series of tweets.
Disappointing #Budget2018.
— Manish Sisodia (@msisodia) February 1, 2018
Not a single extra rupee increased in Delhi’s share in Central taxes since 2001-02, stays at Rs 325 Cr. No other part of India gets such treatment.
BJP govt at Center continues to treat Delhi residents as second-grade citizens. N/1
"Delhi police comes under Centre. Yet no plans or schemes announced to tackle crime and issues of women safety that have made Delhi the crime capital of India. Highly disappointing #Budget2018! (sic)." According to the government, Delhi's share in central taxes has been kept at Rs 325 crore, static since 2001-02.
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Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav is also not so happy with this Budget 2018 and said that in its last Union Budget before the next general elections the saffron party has shown it 'favours' capitalists.
"In its last budget, the BJP has shown it only favours the capitalists. Now people will reply," he said.
"It's a slap on the face of traders, women, working class, and the common man. The poor, farmers, laborers are disappointed. This is an arrogant and destructive budget, which ignores problems of the masses," he said.
Yadav's comments came after Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on Thursday presented his fifth budget at Lok Sabha. This is the government's last full Budget before the general elections, due next year.
However, BJP chief Amit Shah said the Budget gives new wings to aspirations of the poor as he cited measures aimed at giving a boost to farmers, infrastructure, rural sector and small and medium enterprises.
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(With PTI inputs)
