Rahul Gandhi Takes A Jab At FM Sitharaman’s Budget: ‘To Appease…’

On Tuesday, Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi criticized Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman’s Union Budget, claiming it was intended to appease the BJP’s allies and “cronies.”

The Congress leader labeled the budget as the “Kursi Bachao” Budget, alleging that it was copied from the Congress party’s Lok Sabha election manifesto.

“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,” Rahul Gandhi posted on X.

Other Congress leaders also echoed the sentiment that the Budget was plagiarized.

“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,” Congress leader P Chidambaram wrote on X.

Congress leader Jairam Ramesh critiqued the employment scheme as being “designed to grab headlines rather than a programmatic guarantee.”

“The Finance Minister has taken a leaf out of the INC’s Nyay Patra 2024, with its internship program modeled on the INC’s proposed Apprenticeship Program that was called Pehli Naukri Pakki,” Jairam Ramesh posted on X. “However, in their trademark style, the scheme has been designed to grab headlines, with arbitrary targets (1 crore internships) rather than a programmatic guarantee for all diploma holders and graduates, like the Indian National Congress had envisioned,” he added.

On the other hand, Union Home Minister Amit Shah praised the Budget as being pro-people and pro-development.

“The Budget 2024-25 not only exemplifies Bharat’s newfound sense of purpose, hope and optimism under the PM Modi Ji-led NDA government but also fortifies them. Harnessing the power of Bharat’s youth, Nari Shakti, and farmers, the budget fuels the nation’s pace on the path of emerging as a developed nation by ushering in a new era of employment and opportunities,” he wrote on X.

Amit Shah also commended Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman for the Budget.

In response to the rejection of ally JD(U)’s demand for special status for Bihar, the Central government made several announcements for the state.