Trinamool Congress MP Shatrughan Sinha called the Union Budget an "electoral budget" in response to the announcements made for Bihar. He said the budget’s provisions for the state, which will hold elections later this year, were like a "lollipop."
Sinha expressed that while he was happy with the budget for Bihar, he questioned whether the measures were enough. He mentioned that although infrastructure development was positive, it wasn't clear why the large special packages promised earlier were missing.
He also stated that the tax exemption for salaried individuals should have been 15 lakh instead of 12 lakh, but still appreciated the steps taken. Sinha added that many aspects of the budget required further examination.
In response, Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri defended the budget, stating that in a large country like India, elections will always take place.
He dismissed the opposition’s criticisms as repetitive, saying there was nothing wrong with allocating resources like airports to Bihar, regardless of the elections. He emphasised that the country’s elections will continue until India adopts simultaneous elections.
RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav criticised the budget, pointing out that Bihar was not given a special package. He questioned whether Bihar would even be granted special state status and said the budget was unfair to the state. He also noted that train fares were increasing, with no relief in sight.
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, meanwhile, announced significant tax rebates for the middle class to boost consumption.
Also Read: TMC MP Shatrughan Sinha joins AAP campaign ahead of Delhi polls
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