In a fiery post-budget showdown in Parliament, Samajwadi Party leaders unleashed criticism against Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, claiming she prioritized West Bengal’s electoral battles over substantive budget discourse.
Dimple Yadav, SP MP from Mainpuri, led the charge during media interactions. She alleged Sitharaman’s speech was laced with references to crimes against women in Bengal, sidelining atrocities in BJP-ruled states. ‘It’s clear she’s campaigning for Bengal polls, not discussing the budget,’ Yadav stated bluntly.
Yadav extended her critique to macroeconomic policies, cautioning that the India-US trade agreement threatens domestic agriculture and MSMEs. ‘Farmers and small entrepreneurs will bear the brunt,’ she warned, urging safeguards for vulnerable sectors.
Priya Saroj, another SP voice, dissected the budget’s shortcomings. Devoid of farmer welfare or public benefits, it relied on rhetoric without implementation, she argued. ‘Youth and ordinary people get nothing; we expected answers to our leader’s questions, but got none,’ Saroj fumed.
The budget, in her view, was a mere electoral gimmick, repeatedly name-dropping Kolkata and Mamata Banerjee without tackling core issues like education, healthcare, farming, and jobs. This prompted SP’s vocal protests in the House.
Anand Bhadauriya clarified no walkout occurred—they endured the ’empty’ speech, which morphed into political grandstanding. ‘She dodged opposition questions, harped on Bengal’s debts, and sounded like a vote-seeker,’ he observed.
As tensions simmer, these rebukes signal opposition’s strategy to portray the budget as poll-centric, setting the stage for intense pre-election rhetoric.