Even as Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman was winding up presentation of the Union Budget on Tuesday, the Congress has termed its provisions as a “betrayal”.
Congress spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala tweeted, “India’s Salaried Class & Middle Class were hoping for relief in times of pandemic, all round pay cuts and back breaking inflation. FM & PM have again deeply disappointed them in Direct Tax measures. This is a betrayal of India’s Salaries Class & Middle Class.”
Surjewala's tweet was retweeted by the Congress handle. Surjewala also questioned Sitharaman on her proposal to tax digital assets. Surjewala asked, “And Ms. Finance Minister, pl do tell the Nation -Is Crypto Currency now legal, without bringing the Crypto Currency Bill, as you tax the crypto currency?” In a tweet in Hindi, Surjewala described the budget as a “nothing budget”, alleging it had nothing for the poor, middle class, farmers, small industries and other categories.
Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi alleged the budget focused on interests of “big business friends of PM Modi”. He tweeted, “The budget has focused on interests of big business friends of PM Modi. It has not tackled the problems of unemployment and inflation. This budget will only increase the inequality and leave the largest section of our population vulnerable and dependent on handouts.”
Congress MP Manish Tewari tweeted the budget was “Insipid, Unimaginative, Uninspiring, Unrealistic, Unimplementable.”
