Budget Battle: A Sugar Rush or Booster Shot?

In a heated debate in the Lok Sabha about the Union Budget, opposition parties criticized it as providing only temporary tax relief without addressing long-term issues like government debt and the plight of farmers. Meanwhile, the ruling party defended it, calling it a 'booster shot' for the economy.

The Union Budget sparked a heated exchange in the Lok Sabha, with opposition members dismissing it as a mere 'sugar rush' that fails to deliver long-term economic solutions. They criticized the budget for neglecting pressing issues such as the depreciating rupee, rising government debt, and the struggles faced by farmers.

DMK's Dayanidhi Maran accused the government of catering to corporate interests over the common man, claiming the budgetary measures were politically motivated and largely irrelevant to a majority of the population. He described the middle-class tax relief as 'untenable' and criticized Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman's absence during the debate.

In defense, BJP's Anurag Thakur hailed the budget as a 'force multiplier,' aimed at boosting start-ups and addressing economic slowdown. However, critics like TMC's Kalyan Banerjee and AAP's Gurmeet Singh Meet Hayer argued that the budget did little to address unemployment, inflation, or income inequality.

(With inputs from agencies.)