As the nation eagerly awaited the presentation of the Union Budget by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on July 23, little did they know it would spark controversy and dissent among the Opposition camp. At least four Chief Ministers have decided to boycott the upcoming NITI Aayog meeting in protest of what they deem a ‘discriminatory’ budget.
The Congress party Chief Ministers – Revanth Reddy (Telangana), Siddaramaiah (Karnataka), and Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu (Himachal Pradesh) – along with Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and DMK leader MK Stalin, have chosen to take a stand by boycotting the NITI Aayog meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on July 27.
Congress general secretary KC Venugopal expressed his discontent with the budget, stating, “The Union Budget presented today was extremely discriminatory and dangerous, going against the principles of federalism and fairness the Union Government should uphold. In protest, INC CMs will boycott the NITI Aayog meeting.”
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.…
— K C Venugopal (@kcvenugopalmp) July 23, 2024
Prior to the NITI Aayog meeting, Chief Minister MK Stalin had already announced his decision not to attend, citing lack of representation for Tamil Nadu in the budget allocations.
Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah echoed similar sentiments, stating, “We don’t feel Kannadigas are heard, so there is no point in attending the NITI Aayog meeting.” He expressed disappointment that the budget neglected the demands of his state, highlighting the government’s focus on Andhra Pradesh and Bihar to appease its allies.
NDA allies benefit from budget
Finance Minister Sitharaman unveiled her record seventh consecutive Union Budget, introducing changes in tax rates and deductions, as well as customs duty reductions on certain goods. Notably, Andhra Pradesh and Bihar received substantial financial aid and infrastructure projects, benefiting NDA allies TDP and JD-U respectively.
Addressing the media, Chief Minister Stalin criticized the budget for ignoring Tamil Nadu’s needs, reinforcing the Opposition’s stance against the discriminatory budget.
Members of the Opposition have vowed to continue their protest against the budget during the ongoing Parliament session, with INDIA bloc MPs planning a demonstration outside Parliament House on July 24.
