Congress CMs will boycott NITI Aayog meeting scheduled for July 27: KC Venugopal

New Delhi [India], July 23 (ANI): Congress General Secretary KC Venugopal termed the Union Budget 2024 as discriminatory and announced that the Indian National Congress (INC) Chief Ministers would boycott the NITI Aayog meeting scheduled for July 27.

Taking to X, Congress MP KC Venugopal said, “The Union Budget presented today was extremely discriminatory and dangerous, which completely goes against the principles of federalism and fairness that the Union Government must follow. In protest, INC CMs will be boycotting the NITI Aayog meeting scheduled for 27th July.”

He further stated that the government’s attitude was completely antithetical to constitutional principles.

He further added, “This government’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.”

After the Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman presented the first Budget in Narendra Modi 3.0, the Opposition parties slammed the Centre, terming the budget as “Kursi Bachao Budget”, while the ruling parties said that is the roadmap for a “Viksit Bharat”.

Sitharaman made history as the first finance minister to present seven consecutive budget speeches, surpassing former Prime Minister Morarji Desai’s record of six consecutive budgets as finance minister between 1959 and 1964.

The Finance Minister, in her seventh consecutive Union Budget for 2024-25, outlined key priorities aimed at fostering economic growth and creating ample opportunities. The priorities include Productivity and Resilience in Agriculture, Employment and Skilling and services.

The leader of the opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday criticised the Union Budget 2024-25, accusing the Finance Minister of making hollow promises.

Taking to social media platform ‘X,’ he tweeted, “Kursi Bachao Budget. Appease Allies: Hollow promises to them at the cost of other states. Appease Cronies: Benefits to AA with no relief for the common Indian. Copy and Paste: Congress manifesto and previous budgets.”

Mallikarjun Kharge also took to ‘X,’ tweeting, “Modi Government’s ‘copycat budget’ could not even copy Congress’ justice agenda properly! The Modi Government’s budget is distributing half-hearted ‘rewadis’ to dupe its coalition partners so that the NDA survives. This is not a budget for the ‘progress of the country,’ it is a ‘save Modi government’ budget!”

Senior Congress leader P Chidambaram noted that the budget had “missed opportunities” and welcomed the adoption of Congress’ Employment-Linked Incentive (ELI) and Apprenticeship scheme. However, he wished more ideas from the Congress manifesto had been included. Chidambaram also welcomed the move to abolish the Angel Tax, a long-standing demand of the Congress.

Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav also criticised the Union Budget, labelling it a ploy to retain power by mentioning special projects for Bihar and Andhra Pradesh.

Yadav said, “They have increased unemployment in the last 10 years,” and questioned what the BJP had done for farmers and youth.

Congress leader Jairam Ramesh on Tuesday said that Modi government has failed to conduct Census and Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman’s budget speech on Tuesday did not mention funds for decadal Population Census which was supposed to take place in 2021.

West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee slammed the Union Budget 2024-25 calling it politically motivated, directionless, anti-people, and lacking vision.

“Directionless, anti-people, no vision, only political mission is there. I don’t see any light, it is dark,” she said.