Opposition terms Budget 2019 as 'election manifesto', 'damp squib'

Even Home Minister Rajnath Singh praised own government and called it a historic budget. “It’s a historic budget, and all the sections of the society will benefit from it” Rajnath said.

Goods and Service Tax

New Delhi: Soon after Interim Finance Minister Piyush Goyal presented his interim Budget 2019, reactions poured in from both opposition and from within government. The highlight of the entire budget was tax exemption for people earning salary amounting to Rs5 lakh/ pa or less. The budget has been highly welcomed by various Bharatiya Janta Party leaders, including Party Chief Amit Shah, who said “The budget has met the expectations of farmers, labourers & middle class. By bearing a cost of Rs 75,000 crore,the govt will implement Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi scheme. This scheme will also benefit those farmers who do not take loans.” Even Home Minister Rajnath Singh praised own government and called it a historic budget. “It’s a historic budget, and all the sections of the society will benefit from it” Rajnath said. Speaking on the same Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said “All sections of the society including farmers, middle class, poor and women have been mentioned in this budget. This budget will help achieve the dream of a 'New India'. Opposition on the other hand termed the same as “damp squib”. Taking on government Congress leader Shashi Tharoor said “The whole exercise has turned out to be a damp squib. We've seen one good thing that is tax exemption for the middle class. Rs 6000 in income support for farmers boils down to Rs 500 per month. Is that supposed to enable them to live with the honour and dignity?”

BJP Chief Amit Shah on #Budget2019 : The budget has met the expectations of farmers, labourers & middle class. By bearing a cost of Rs 75,000 crore,the govt will implement Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi scheme. This scheme will also benefit those farmers who do not take loans. pic.twitter.com/Tk5l60UU4U

— ANI (@ANI) February 1, 2019

S Tharoor, Congress: The whole exercise has turned out to be a damp squib. We've seen one good thing that is tax exemption for the middle class. Rs 6000 in income support for farmers boils down to Rs 500 per month. Is that supposed to enable them to live with the honour&dignity? pic.twitter.com/kZDRhkKSWi

— ANI (@ANI) February 1, 2019

Even senior Congress leader Digvijaya Singh took on government and said “Constitution provides a 5 year Term to a Govt. In a 5 year Term an Elected Government can present 5 full budgets. Modi ji who has scant respect for the Constitution instead of taking a Vote on Account has presented a full 6th Budget in a 5 year Term provided by the Constitution”. He further added saying “What can we call it? Another "Jumla" of false Promises? What happens if the present Govt is voted out in 2019? Modi ji as the saying goes "You can fool some people some time some people all the time but NOT AAL THE PEOPLE ALL THE TIME".” Rahul Gandhi said "5 years of your incompetence and arrogance has destroyed the lives of our farmers. Giving them Rs. 17 a day is an insult to everything they stand and work for." West Bengal Cheif minister Mamata Banerjee said "Interim budget has no value as NDA government's term ends soon." He further added "this govt has no moral authority or responsibility to place the budget for 5 years when they'll not be in power; the govt will go for expiry. After expiry, if you give medicine, is there any value? What will be the value? This is absolutely valueless." Leader of Congress in Lok Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge Friday termed the Union Budget as BJP's "election manifesto" and accused the ruling dispensation of bribing voters ahead of the Lok Sabha polls. Speaking to reporters outside Parliament, Kharge said the promises made by the BJP in this budget are mere poll sops and "jumlas", which will not be fulfilled as the BJP has a mandate to rule only till May this year. General elections are slated to be held in April-May. "I would term today's budget as BJP's election manifesto," Kharge said.  "This is all being done for elections. I directly charge them of paying bribe to voters," he alleged.