New Delhi: In a stormy start to parliamentary proceedings, the Opposition staged a dramatic walkout in the Rajya Sabha, protesting what they described as a “discriminatory” Union Budget. In Lok Sabha, Congress leaders were seen holding placards that read “Treat All States Equally” and “NDA Betrays INDIA in Budget”.
The Budget sparked a heated debate over its alleged bias towards states governed by the BJP and its allies, particularly Bihar and Andhra Pradesh.
Dismissing the Opposition's claims as outrageous, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, argued, “If the speech does not mention a particular state, does it mean the schemes of the Government of India don’t go to these states? They go as per a routine.” She cited ongoing projects, such as a Rs 76,000 crore port initiative in Maharashtra, to illustrate her point.
Rahul Gandhi meets farm leaders
Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, said the INDIA bloc will press the BJP-led NDA government for a legal guarantee on minimum price support (MSP). “The government must make Minimum Support Price (MSP) a legal guarantee for farmers across the country,” he said, batting for equitable agricultural policies.
He said this after meeting 12 farmer leaders inside the Parliament complex, who had come from various states including Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Punjab, Telangana, Tamil Nadu, and Karnataka.
The farmers have been demanding a legal guarantee of minimum support price (MSP) for crops, among other things. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, in the Union Budget for 2024-25, announced an allocation of ₹1.52 lakh crore for the agriculture and allied sectors.
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