New Delhi, February 1: Riled by chants of “Modi…Modi…Modi” by the Treasury MPs when interim Finance Minister Piyush Goyal on Friday declared full tax rebate on individual annual incomes up to Rs 5 lakh, the opposition Congress denounced the interim Budget as an “election manifesto of the government “ and a “poll stunt”.
Former PM Manmohan Singh called it an election budget, ex-Finance Minister P Chidambaram said the budget was an “account or votes “ rather than a “vote in account”, and Congress Leader in Lok Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge said the FM read out an election manifesto with eyes on the votes.
The Congress was especially critical of the much anticipated farmer related announcement by Goyal today.
“Under a new scheme, the government has said it will give small farmers Rs 6,000 directly every year. This comes to Rs 500 a month and the government has said it will pay Rs 2,000 installment soon. This amount to buying votes,” Kharge said.
In other announcements on pensions to 40 crore unorganised workers, the Congress asked “who will fulfil these promises?”
Kharge said the government had made announcements well beyond its constitutionally mandated period of May 26 this year when it would senior office and a newly-elected government will be installed.
“Like the previous jumlas of the BJP this too is a jumla Budget,” Kharge said criticising the BJP members for chanting PM Modi’s name at the declaration of tax rebates.
“What was that? Who does that in Parliament,” he asked moments after Goyal halted his Budget speech briefly to let the ruling side MPs bask in the glory of the announcement by chanting PM’s name.
The Budget presentation was marked by sporadic thunderous applause for Goyal who started his speech by remembering the ailing FM Arun Jaitley and wishing him a speedy recovery.
The BJP ministers hailed the interim Budget as historic with Textile Minister Smriti Irani saying it’s a Budget that promises “high josh” to farmers, poor, women and salaried classes.
Speaking outside Parliament, she said countering accusations of presenting a full Budget, Irani said, “Mr Chidambaram, UPA Finance Minister had once given rebates to corporates in his interim Budget. What’s the problem of the Congress if our FM has benefitted the poor? Why is Congress getting riled?”
