Parliament: Opposition Walks Out As Sitharaman Dashes 'Discriminatory Budget' Charges

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, who presented the Budget on Tuesday, was responding to allegations of discrimination in Rajya Sabha on Wednesday when the Opposition walked out. Sitharaman called the allegations "outrageous".

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Opposition Protests Over 'Discriminatory' Budget: INDIA bloc MPs, including Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, Congress Parliamentary Party chief Sonia Gandhi and Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi also staged a protest in Parliament premises on Wednesday their allegions regarding the Union Budget. Besides Kharge, Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi, several MPs of the Congress, TMC, Samajwadi Party, DMK and the Left joined the protest held on the steps leading up to the Makar Dwar of Parliament.

ALSO READ | Budget 2024: INDIA Bloc Stages Protest In Parliament Over 'Discrimination' Against Oppn-Ruled States

Why Is Opposition Protesting Over Budget: In the Union Budget 2024, the central government laid special emphasis on Bihar and Andhra Pradesh, two states where key allies of BJP-led NDA are in the government. For Bihar, where assembly elections are due next year, the finance minister announced spending of Rs 60,000 crore on infrastructure projects like expressways, power plant, heritage corridors and new airports.

ALSO READ | Budget 2024: Sitharaman Announces Big Plans For Andhra Pradesh, Bihar 

Bihar, Andhra Pradesh In Budget 2024: The support to Bihar, whose ruling party and BJP's partner JD-U has been demanding an economic package and special category status for the state, is in the form of capital projects but not subsidy or cash dole. Similarly, for Andhra Pradesh, whose ruling TDP recently joined BJP-led NDA, she allocated Rs 15,000 crore in financial aid through multilateral agencies. A similar request for support to Bihar will be expedited, she said.

ALSO READ | 'Kursi Bachao Budget': Opposition Slams Union Budget; BJP, Allies Hail FM Sitharaman

Nirmala Sitharaman Responds: On Opposition’s protest against ‘discriminatory’ Budget, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said in Rajya Sabha on Wednesday, ”…In every Budget, you don’t get an opportunity to name every state of this country...The Cabinet had taken a decision to set up a port on Vadavan. But Maharashtra’s name was not taken in the Budget yesterday. Does this mean that Maharashtra feels ignored? If a particular state is named in the speech, does it mean that programs of GOI don't go to these states? This is a deliberate attempt of the Opposition led by Congress to give the impression to people that nothing has been given to our states. This is an outrageous allegation...”

'Kursi Bachao Budget': Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday dubbed the Union Budget a "kursi bachao budget" and claimed it makes "hollow promises" to BJP allies at the cost of other states. The former Congress chief also claimed that the budget was "copy and paste" job of the Congress manifesto for 2024 polls and previous budgets.

Opposition Walks Out Of RS, LS: INDIA Bloc MPs on Wednesday staged a walkout in the Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha protesting the alleged discrimination against opposition-ruled states in the Union Budget. As Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar gave Nirmala Sitharaman the floor to respond, Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge led the opposition bloc out of the House, saying they were walking out in protest.