AAP, Congress slam Budget; BJP says moves are pro poor

NEW DELHI: The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Wednesday said that the Union Budget is a limited and lackluster Budget, that adds insult to an economy grievously injured by demonetisation. Given the unseemly haste to present the 2017 Budget, despite requests of Members of Parliament to observe a day of mourning for MP Ahmed, the nation assumed that the Modi government would unveil a momentous and visionary Budget. “Finance Minister Arun Jaitley presented yet another lackluster Budget, that failed to acknowledge or apologise for the chaos unleashed by the disastrous demonetisation decision on the poorest citizens of our country and our economy,” said Dilip Pandey, Delhi AAP Convenor.

“The Budget has completely failed to provide any data on the gains of demonetisation. Farmers, small traders and the poor who were severely impacted by demonetisation were looking at this Budget for possible relief but this is a cruel joke played on the common man by the government. The nation is yet to know how much black money was unearthed or counterfeit currency seized for a move that has cost our country Rs 1.28 lakh crore, an estimated 23 lakh jobs and 120 documented deaths due to demonetisation. Indians are yet to know when we can withdraw our own money freely from our bank accounts,” said Pandey.

Meanwhile, reacting over the Budget, the Delhi Pradesh Congress Committee chief Ajay Maken said that the Budget presented by the Finance Minister is devoid of any concrete vision. Meanwhile, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) declared it a people’s Budget which has a clear vision to take India to new heights and make us a self sustainable economy. “The raise in housing fund will help ensure fulfilment of the Prime Minister’s resolve to ensure houses for all. The Budget with a stress on giving better education opportunities, health services to all and to develop a strong railway and road infrastructure makes it a Budget for the poor,” said Delhi BJP President Manoj Tiwari.