Parliament Monsoon Session | 'Not possible to name every state in budget': Sitharaman lashes out at Oppn

On TMC MP Abhishek Banerjee, Union MoS and BJP MP Sukanta Majumdar says, "...Abhishek Banerjee should not talk like this. Whenever he wants, we are ready to provide the data...Abhishek Banerjee is behaving in such a way that he is the ruler of this country. This kind of arrogance is not accepted in a democracy. People know that whenever the Central Government provided money to West Bengal, the money was misused by TMC Government...TMC Government itself has accepted that some 'chori' has happened. That is their language. But not all are guilty, that is their logic..."

Participating in the debate on the budget for 2024-25 in the Lok Sabha, BJP MP Bhartruhari Mahtab said the budget will empower the "neo-middle class" and asserted that the general election results have not “ruffled” the government.

Amid the Budget Session 2024, all BJP MPs from Delhi paid a courtesy call on Prime Minister Narendra Modi today.

On several INDIA Alliance-ruled states' CMs boycotting NITI Aayog meeting over Union Budget 2024, Congress MP KL Sharma says, "It is not a balanced budget. This is 'Government Bachao Budget'. So, what they are doing is correct. Is this India's budget or someone else's?...Should we heap praises on them if they (Central Government) do something wrong?"

BJP MP Saumitra Khan has criticised TMC MP Abhishek Banerjee, accusing him and the West Bengal government of failing to allocate land for a major rail project despite a significant budget allocation. "Rs 13,000 crore was allocated to Bengal for the rail project, but they are unable to allot land for it," Khan stated, highlighting delays and inefficiencies in project implementation.

Khan didn't hold back in his criticism, calling Banerjee a "dacoit" and accusing him of speaking "the thieves' language." He elaborated, "The biggest dacoit speaks the thieves' language. He is a dacoit, so whose language will he speak?" This harsh rhetoric underscores the growing political tensions between the BJP and the TMC in Bengal.

On FM Nirmala Sitharaman's criticism of the INDIA bloc's protest over Union Budget 2024, Congress MP KC Venugopal said, "Actually, she is misleading the country. Anyway, she is going to reply on the Budget. She should tell us what she is giving to Kerala, to Karnataka, to Uttar Pradesh, tp Punjab, to Haryana, to Maharashtra. In her 1 hour 40 minutes long speech, she has not even spelled some of the major states, including Maharashtra, Haryana, Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh. That is why, we are mentioning that. She only misled the House."

Parliament Budget Session 2024: Rajya Sabha adjourned till 11 am on Wednesday

After FM Nirmala Sitharaman announces Rs 26,000 cr aid for Bihar in Budget 2024, BJP MP Sanjay Jaiswal said, "Development of eastern India is very important for this nation, and Bihar will always be to thankful to PM Modi for whatever he has announced for the state in this Budget." 

"Till now, a budget of around 1.5 lakh crore has been given to Delhi. For the first time, it was announced to provide houses to the poor in urban areas, is Delhi not part of it? Since the AAP govt came, a budget of 6.5 lakh crore has been given. Despite this, people are not getting proper water supply, streets are dilapidated, and pensions have been stopped. We will bring a white paper on the bad state of Delhi," says BJP leader Manoj Tiwari on AAP accusing discrimination against Delhi in Budget 2024. 

A day after Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharam presented Budget 2024, NITI Aayog vice chairperson Suman Bery said, "It was a bold and radical budget... It is radical because it focuses on three things - first, to attack the issue of better jobs I would say better livelihood rather than jobs. This is an issue remain unsolved for several decades... Jobs are being created but they fall short of people's expectations..."

Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma met Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman today and commended her on delivering the Union Budget 2024. "This budget has an unprecedented focus on Jobs, Yuva Shakti, Nari Shakti and small businesses," said the CM in a post on X.

On the I.N.D.I.A bloc protest against Union Budget, Congress MP Jebi Mather says, "...We cannot even call it a budget. What was presented yesterday was a MoU between PM Modi and the CM of Andhra Pradesh and Bihar. The budget was presented to the two states. When this government is on crutches, these two states are supporting it. It is a total attack on the federal structure of the Constitution. That's why the entire INDIA alliance protested in one voice..." 

Speaking in the Rajya Sabha, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman lashed out at the opposition's claim that the budget was 'discriminatory' and said that it was an 'outrageous allegation' and a deliberate attempt by the opposition parties led by the Congress to give the people the wrong impression that their states were not allocated funds or schemes. The Finance Minister reacted after Leader of Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge made claims that the budget was discriminatory towards the states of the country.

On the removal of indexation on the sale of property proposed by the Finance Minister in the Budget, Karti Chidambaram said, "Removal of indexation will create a lot of disappointment for the people who are holding property, particularly those who inherit property from their previous generation. This is practically an inheritance tax..."

On Suspension of Business Notices in Rajya Sabha given under Rule 267 by MPs, House Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar said, "I reiterate, leaders of political parties need to take a call on the issue, as it is becoming a routine daily affair in every sitting of the House. I had already indicated that in the last 36 years, this mechanism has been allowed only on six occasions. It is only in exceptional circumstances that the same may be allowed. I need not emphasise that seeking suspension of proceedings in the House for taking business as indicated is indeed a very serious matter. The notices filed today do not conform to the directives imparted by the Chair in this behalf and the same are not admitted."

Before the Opposition walked out of Rajya Sabha over the 'discriminatory' Budget, LoP Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge said, "...Yeh kursi bachane ke liye yeh sab hua hai...We will condemn it and protest against it. All INDIA alliance parties will protest...How will development happen if there is no balance?..."

In response to the Opposition's protest against what they termed a 'discriminatory' Union Budget, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman addressed the Rajya Sabha, defending the government's stance and clarifying the rationale behind the budgetary decisions. During her speech, Sitharaman emphasised that it is not feasible to mention every state in every budget announcement. She stated, "In every Budget, you don’t get an opportunity to name every state of this country." This remark was aimed at addressing concerns raised by opposition MPs about the perceived omission of certain states in the budget.

"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," she added. 

In a dramatic turn of events in the Rajya Sabha today, Opposition Members of Parliament (MPs) staged a walkout as Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman rose to deliver her speech on the Union Budget. The Finance Minister had just begun addressing the house when the opposition MPs, in a unified move, exited the chamber, leaving their seats empty. 

During the Lok Sabha Question Hour today, Opposition Members of Parliament (MPs) launched a series of protests against the Union Budget, creating a scene of intense disruption. The MPs were seen chanting slogans and raising banners to voice their discontent with the budgetary allocations and policies.

On the Union Budget, Congress MP Shashi Tharoor said there is very little for most states. "There were a few expectations for Kerala, especially in the health sector, but all of them have not been fulfilled. Each state has its own issue to point to," he added. 

Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge criticised the Union Budget and accused the BJP of just focussing on satisfying its allies. "This budget is just to satisfy their allies...They have given nothing to anyone," he told the media. 

On I.N.D.I.A bloc protest against the Union Budget, Congress MP Randeep Singh Surjewala said this is a 'kursi bachao budget', 'satta bachao budget', 'badla lo budget'. "More than 90% people of the country have been isolated with this budget... Modi government is focussed only on saving the BJP government," he added.

Congress Parliamentary Party Chairperson Sonia Gandhi, LoP in Lok Sabha-Rahul Gandhi, Samajwadi Party MP Jaya Bachchan, TMC MP Derek O'Brien in the Parliament as the I.N.D.I.A bloc protest against 'discriminatory' Union Budget 2024.

Leaders of Opposition parties are holding a protest against the Union Budget which was presented by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Tuesday.  "It is injustice...We will protest..." Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge told the media. 

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge said his party takes immense pride in the groundbreaking achievement of the Liberalisation Budget of 1991 and asserted that there is a pressing need once again for meaningful and robust second-generation reforms. In a post on X, Kharge said July 1991 marked a watershed moment in India's history as the Liberalisation Budget, spearheaded by then Prime Minister P V Narasimha Rao and Finance Minister Manmohan Singh, ushered in a new era of economic reforms. "The Congress party takes immense pride in this groundbreaking achievement, which catalysed India's growth trajectory and continues to inspire progress and prosperity," Kharge said. "Today, once again, there is a pressing need for meaningful, robust second-generation reforms, which help both the middle class and the deprived," he said.

The Congress party has dubbed the Budget as “discriminatory and dangerous.” The party also announced that its Chief Ministers would boycott the upcoming meeting of the Niti Aayog scheduled for July 27, further escalating their protest against the Budget. “The Budget completely goes against the principles of federalism and fairness that the Union govt must follow. In protest, Congress CMs will be boycotting the Niti Aayog meeting. This govt’s attitude is completely antithetical to constitutional principles. We will not participate in an event that is solely designed to hide the true, discriminatory colours of this regime," Congress general secretary KC Venugopal said.

The Congress has slammed the Union Budget as being "more focused on posturing than action" and claimed that the "copy-paste government" has borrowed heavily from the party's manifesto for the Lok Sabha polls. The opposition party also claimed that the government had "tacitly" admitted that "mass unemployment is a national crisis", and said the budget has "political compulsions written all over it".

Congress MP Manickam Tagore gave an adjournment motion notice in Lok Sabha and demanded a discussion over the "negligence" of Tamil Nadu in the Union Budget 2024 presented by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman. "I hereby give notice of my intention to ask for leave to move a motion for the adjournment of the business of the House for the purpose of discussing a definite matter of urgent importance, namely, that Tamil Nadu has been completely neglected in Budget 2024," Tagore stated. Sitharaman presented her record seventh consecutive Union Budget 2024-25 on Tuesday during the Budget Session of Parliament.