New Delhi: Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday slammed finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman’s Union Budget, saying it was aimed at appeasing the BJP’s allies and “cronies”.
The Congress leader described the document as the “Kursi Bachao” Budget and alleged that it was copied from the Congress party’s Lok Sabha polls 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 said in a post on X.
Other Congress leaders also claimed the Budget was copied.
“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 said the employment scheme was “designed to grab headlines rather than a programmatic guarantee.”