Subsequent to the announcement of the interim Budget 2024 in the parliament ahead of the upcoming Lok Sabha election by the Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman yesterday, Saamana, the official mouthpiece of Shiv Sena (UBT) took a dig at the interim budget and said that “there is no concrete solution visible in this budget, moreover it was like a farewell speech”, reported news agency ANI.
“Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Thursday completed the work of presenting the interim budget before the elections in Parliament. Simply put, there is no concrete solution visible in this Budget 2024. The Finance Minister presented this interim budget as if it was a farewell speech, `Hum to jaate apne gaon, hamari sabko Ram Ram Ram,`” Saamana wrote in the editorial, reported ANI.
The central government neither tweaked nor put any additional tax burden on citizens, in the interim Budget for 2024-25 tabled by Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman yesterday. On this Saamana in its editorial said that because the general elections are imminent, there was not the slightest possibility of taking anything from the public pocket. Apart from this, the country got nothing from this interim budget.
“Since the general elections of Lok Sabha are round the corner, there was no possibility of levying any additional taxes on the public through the budget, considering the political implications. Apart from this one favor, what the country got from this interim budget should be a subject of research. This budget neither reflected the economic reality of the country nor did the Finance Minister present before the Parliament the exact direction to take the country on the path of economic development. The bombardment of figures which is usually seen in the budget was also not seen anywhere in this budget. This is a budget which does not give anything to the common people of the country, the poor, the working people and the middle-class labourers,” Shiv Sena (UBT) mouthpiece Saamana wrote in its editorial, reported ANI.
Saamana further asserted that instead of talking about the country`s economy the Finance Minister was seen chanting Modi`s name again and again. It was more like reciting praises of the government while performing the Aarti, reported ANI.
“Without getting into the trap of painting a good or bad picture of the country`s economy, the Finance Minister tried to explain what the Modi government has done in the last 10 years since coming to power in 2014. She was seen chanting Modi`s name again and again while telling what the challenges were before Narendra Modi when he started working and how public welfare works started in this country only after Modi came to this country. If said in one sentence, Nirmala Sitharaman`s speech on the budget seemed less like that of a Finance Minister and more like reciting praises of her government while performing the Aarti,” Saamana in its editorial, reported ANI.
“Where do we stand today compared to the economies of the world`s superpowers and influential countries? Why did the unemployment percentage reach record level in the country? How much has the rupee weakened against the dollar in the last 10 years? If indeed there has been an industrial and economic revolution in the country under the leadership of Modi, then why were thousands of industries closed in the last 10 years and why did the government waive off loans worth lakhs of crores of its business friends? There are many such questions. However, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, in her speech, very clearly avoided the dire reality of the present times and tried to lure the countrymen into dreams of the future. `You will see in 2047 that India is going to become a developed nation!` The Finance Minister created such a dreamy impression in the typical `Vishwa Guru` style. That is, there is no need to mention where, how and how the condition is bad today; But this is like continuously showing happy dreams of yesterday and the day after tomorrow!,” Saamana added, reported ANI.
The Shiv Sena (UBT) mouthpiece stated that the public is now well aware of this `making a fool` formula of the government selling dreams by hiding the truth.
“Taxpayers have filled the country, government revenue through income tax has tripled in the last ten years, GST tax collection has reached Rs 1.66 lakh crore, said Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in her speech. Said proudly, So where is this money going? Also, why did the government reach its highest level of borrowing in the last 10 years despite money flowing into the government treasury from all sides? Does this government have the answer to this? Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman made a bold statement in her budget speech that she will work for these four castes: poor, women, youth and farmers. Does this mean that for the last ten years this government was working only for its friends in suits?,” Saamana wrote in its editorial, reported ANI.
“When inflation had made the life of the poor unbearable, the government kept waiving off the loans of big industrialists, when women wrestlers were being tortured and the dignity of women was being openly flouted in Manipur, this government kept watching with open eyes. Even when 750 farmers of the country were martyred while fighting against the three black laws, there was not even a wrinkle on the government`s forehead. The government, which promised to double the income of farmers by 2022, on the contrary doubled the cost of production of agricultural commodities. The same government`s concern for the poor, women, youth and farmers now means only one thing, that is, the time for the farewell ceremony of the government is near. This is what the Finance Minister`s speech says!” it added.
(With inputs from ANI)
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