"No Discrimination, Flimsy...": Hardeep Singh Puri Slams Opposition In Budget Row

The Union Budget for 2024/25 is for the country as a whole and not for any one state, Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri said Wednesday evening in response to sustained opposition censure - that the government disregards states not ruled by the BJP or its allies. He firmly rubbished claims the Union Budget discriminates against opposition-ruled states.

Mr Puri also criticised the opposition - specifically (but not naming) the Congress and Tamil Nadu's ruling DMK - for skipping Saturday's Niti Aayog meet.

The meeting is to be chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

"There has been no discrimination in the budget..." he told news agency ANI, adding that eight opposition leaders, including the AAP's Arvind Kejriwal and Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, snubbed a meeting in May last year.

"On May 23 - eight opposition Chief Ministers, including Arvind Kejriwal, (Tamil Nadu's) MK Stalin, and Mamata Banerjee boycotted a 'Viksit Bharat' meet..."

"We can't be selective in democracy. The budget by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman isn't for a state but it is the union government's budget. A budget is one thing... NITI Aayog is different..." he said.

Mr Puri wasn't the only Union Minister to push back.

Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal declared the opposition's boycott of the Niti Aayog meeting indicated their "hatred" of the Prime Minister. "They only talk about democracy... they do drama but they don't believe in democracy. They are arrogant about the names of their families," he declared.

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Mr Puri reprimanded opposition leaders for trying to score "political points". "Chief Ministers can come and raise their grievances... but to make this an issue to score political points... this is not good."

Presented Tuesday, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman's budget has been heavily criticised.

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The criticism includes policy-related disagreements, such as Congress MP P Chidambaram's scepticism over the BJP's three new employment-linked initiatives to solve the jobs crisis.

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It also includes barbs from opposition leaders like MK Stalin, who this evening 'warned' Mr Modi of "isolation" if he continues to target political rivals rather than focus on governance.

The budget speech was also slammed by Trinamool MP Abhishek Banerjee.

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The opposition's big allegation is that the budget ignores states not ruled by the BJP's allies.

They have pointed to packages for Bihar and Andhra Pradesh - ruled by the Janata Dal (United) and Telugu Desam Party, whose support is key for Mr Modi's government to maintain majority.

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Mr Puri, however, has dismissed these claims, telling the government's critics to "read the Budget document and see the provisions". "Flimsy arguments are being made... being used," he said.

Ms Sitharaman hit back strongly earlier today, telling the opposition, in Parliament, "...in every budget, you don't get an opportunity to name every state..."

Pointing to Maharashtra, a state the BJP rules, she said, "If my speech does not mention a state... does it mean Government of India schemes don't go to these states?" she asked.

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