Former Finance Minister P Chidambaram humorously criticized the BJP-led government following the presentation of the 2024-25 Budget by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday. Chidambaram suggested that the government had drawn inspiration from the Congress manifesto, specifically mentioning pages where he believed ideas were borrowed.
"I am particularly happy that she [Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman] had the opportunity to read the Congress manifesto. And she picked the good ideas from page 11 page 30 and page 31," Chidambaram remarked.
He humorously urged the members of the Treasury benches to delve deeper into the Congress manifesto, suggesting that adopting more ideas could be beneficial.
"Copying is not prohibited in this House; in fact, copying is encouraged and rewarded in this House. So, please copy a little more," he added.
Meanwhile, the Opposition has targeted the NDA government over what they claim is a “discriminatory” Budget. The Union Budget for 2024-25, presented on Tuesday, included significant financial packages for Andhra Pradesh and Bihar. The budget allocated Rs 15,000 crore for the development of Andhra Pradesh's new capital, Amaravati, and Rs 26,000 crore for road connectivity projects in Bihar. Both states are governed by the NDA's allies, the TDP and JD(U), respectively.
The Opposition criticized the Budget, with INDIA Bloc MPs staging a walkout in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday, protesting what they alleged was a bias against states ruled by opposition parties. As the House convened for the day, opposition members attempted to raise the issue of budgetary allocations, leading to disruptions during the Question Hour. Speaker Om Birla cautioned members to maintain parliamentary decorum and refrain from interrupting the proceedings.
