Congress MP Manish Tewari pilloried the government on a range of issues like lower than expected growth rate, inadequate private investment, slow growth rate in agriculture, falling value of the rupee, and increasing public debt. Photo: Sansad TV via ANI
Members of the Opposition and treasury benches went head-to-head during a discussion on the Union Budget 2025-26 in the Lok Sabha on Monday (February 10, 2025).
BJP leader Anurag Thakur, who represents the Hamirpur constituency in Himachal Pradesh, answered Rahul Gandhi’s criticisms of the Budget. He defended the Budget, calling it a “force multiplier.”
Mr. Thakur said the grand old party had scored a zero in successive elections to the Lok Sabha and the Assembly since 2014. He said that while start-ups are flourishing under the Modi government, the Congress is busy with “Its own start-up,” “How many times has it been launched…,” he asked.
He also wanted to know why the Congress leader had not taken a holy dip during the Maha Kumbh and said, “Maybe Uncle Soros [George Soros] and Uncle Sam issued a fatwa prohibiting visiting the Ram Temple or dips for Kumbh,” he said.
Congress broadside
Senior Congress leader and Chandigarh MP, Manish Tewari pilloried the government on a range of issues: lower than expected growth rate, inadequate private investment, slow growth rate in agriculture, falling value of the rupee, and increasing public debt.
“You have created inter-generational debt. This burden will have to be borne by the coming generation. They will have to service the debt that is being created by the government,” Mr. Tewari said.
He claimed the government was “forced” to provide tax reliefs to the middle class to turn the wheels of the economy, as earlier stimulus to corporates had not worked. The Congress leader also asserted that the common man continues to face problems due to the government’s economic policies, and even the agriculture sector was in bad shape; increasing man days under MNREGA are an indicator of that.
He noted that the Economic Survey had one big idea, in which the Chief Economic Advisor asked the government to get out of the way of the people. That underscored the need to change the manner in which the country is governed, but the Budget doesn’t reflect that spirit.
All is not well
Welcoming the tax rebate, NCP (Sharad Pawar) MP Supriya Sule said, “All is not well, the economy is slowing down. I request the government to introspect… just winning elections does not mean all is well,” Ms. Sule said.
Opposing the proposal to increase foreign direct investment (FDI) in the insurance sector, Kalyan Banerjee of the Trinamool Congress alleged that the budget was “anti-people,” as it ignored the immediate challenges of growing unemployment, inflation, and inequality”.
Raising the issue of the stampede at the Maha Kumbh, Mr. Banerjee said a joint parliamentary committee should be constituted to probe complaints regarding the Kumbh.
He also accused the Centre of neglecting West Bengal.
AAP MP Gurmeet Singh Meet Hayer accused the Central Government of ignoring Punjab’s farmers.
Iqra Choudhary (SP) said that the budget is only a headline-grabbing document as it has neglected, farmers, youth, and the poor.
Published – February 11, 2025 12:16 am IST