Deprives Bengal and anti-poor: TMC on 2024 Union Budget
The All India Trinamool Congress (TMC) today launched a fierce criticism of the 2024 Union Budget, saying that it has failed to address the nation’s core issues as it is “anti-poor”. It is politically biased as it has deprived Bengal and given much to Bihar and Andhra Pradesh, the states’ ruling JD(U) and TDP being crucial to prop up the BJP-led NDA government.
The party supremo and Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said that the Budget is “politically biased and anti-poor” and slammed the Union government for “depriving” the state”.
“The budget is politically biased. This is directionless and has no vision. It is only to serve a political mission,” she further said, speaking to reporters at the state assembly premises.
“What (Leader of Opposition in the Bengal Assembly) Suvendu Adhikari said a few days ago – ‘jo humare sath, hum unke sath’ – has been proved today. Just to save their government, they have allocated special packages to Bihar and Andhra Pradesh.
“We do not have any problem with any state getting any allocation, but why should West Bengal be deprived?” TMC National General Secretary and Lok Sabha MP Abhishek Banerjee said at the Parliament premises.
The Union Budget allocated substantial funds for Bihar—including over Rs 26,000 crore for highway development and Rs 11,500 crore for flood mitigation efforts—and Andhra Pradesh—including arranging Rs 15,000 crore this fiscal and in future years for the development of the capital city of Amaravati.
“This BUDGET is a complete failure with ZERO WARRANTY, presented by a FAILED FINANCE MINISTER OF A FAILED GOVERNMENT. Instead of tackling urgent issues like unemployment, rising prices and growing inflation, the BJP has crafted a budget to bribe its coalition partners and buy time before the government IMPLODES!” Banerjee wrote on X.
Lok Sabha MP and the party’s chief whip in the house, Kalyan Banerjee said the Budget is aimed at saving Narendra Modi’s position as prime minister and is therefore a budget for the NDA, and not for India.
“Last time they gave so many projects to Odisha. Now they (BJP) have won (the Assembly elections in the state), so there is nothing for Odisha. There is also nothing for Bengal,” he said.
Party spokesperson Kunal Ghosh wrote on X that the 2024 Budget is full of manipulated statistics and rhetoric, which is indicative of the Union government’s financial and political insolvency.
He described the Budget as an “AP and Bihar ‘gift’ budget only to save [Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s] Chair’” and that it is an attempt at replicating successful social welfare schemes pioneered by the Mamata Banerjee administration.
