INDIA bloc protests ‘discriminatory’ Union Budget 2024, demands equal treatment for all states

Leaders of the opposition parties of the INDIA bloc on Wednesday launched a fierce protest in Parliament against what they termed the “discriminatory” Union Budget 2024, alleging that several states have been unfairly ignored.

Congress leader and Leader of the Opposition in Rajya Sabha, Mallikarjun Kharge, expressed his displeasure and said, “Many did not get justice (in the Union Budget). We are fighting for justice.”

Echoing Kharge’s sentiments, Congress MP and Deputy Leader in Lok Sabha Gaurav Gogoi remarked: “The entire country is angry over the Budget. People from all states are angry because the BJP has failed to resolve their basic issues. The government’s compulsion is clearly visible in this Budget. The INDIA bloc is protesting against the injustice done in the Budget…”

Further highlighting the regional grievances, Congress MP Amarinder Singh Raja Warring said, “We are protesting today for justice for Punjab. Andhra Pradesh and Bihar have been allocated everything… Flood relief was also not given to Punjab. Punjab did not give even a single seat to the BJP and this is the reason the state has been ignored.”

RSP MP NK Premachandran criticised the selective allocation of projects and said, “There is total discrimination against some states. Bihar and Andhra Pradesh have been allocated so many projects. In a parliamentary democracy, giving a boost to some states which are supporting the government is against the spirit of the Constitution.”

Expressing his frustration over Uttar Pradesh being sidelined, Samajwadi Party MP Ram Gopal Yadav said: “Forget giving anything to Uttar Pradesh, it was not even mentioned (in the budget)… To save the government, they are giving money to some and ignoring others.”

Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Arvind Sawant, holding a placard that read “Neglect of Maharashtra will not be tolerated”, sarcastically termed the budget as favouring certain states, “This budget is for ‘Ladla Bihar, Ladla Andhra Pradesh and Ladla Odisha. Andhra Pradesh had asked for a special package but their mouths were shut by giving Rs 15,000 crore to the state…”

Highlighting the widespread disappointment, AAP MP Raghav Chadha said, “Almost everyone is disappointed with this Budget, except two people, Nitish Kumar and Chandrababu Naidu… All economic reports have concluded that income is not rising but prices in the country are rising. The government has paralysed the investors of the country… This Budget has angered all sections of the people… The punitive measures included in this Budget must be ended.”

Meanwhile, the chief ministers of INDIA’s bloc of Telangana, Karnataka, Himachal Pradesh and Tamil Nadu have decided to skip the upcoming NITI Ayog meeting in protest against alleged discrimination against their respective states in the Union Budget 2024.