Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], July 24 (ANI): Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar said on Wednesday that Congress Chief Ministers have decided to boycott the NITI Aayog meeting because there is no “justice” for opposition-ruled states from the Centre.
“There is no ‘Niti’ (policy); it has gone. There is no justice here. So, our leaders have decided in the interest of the protest over no proper representation in the budget,” Shivakumar told reporters here.
Terming the Union Budget 2024 discriminatory, Congress General Secretary KC Venugopal announced on Tuesday that his party’s Chief Ministers would boycott the NITI Aayog meeting scheduled for July 27.
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and DMK leader MK Stalin, a key ally of the Congress, has also said that he would not attend the NITI Aayog meeting, calling the budget ‘discriminatory’.
Taking to X, KC Venugopal said, “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.”
After the Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman presented the first Budget in Narendra Modi 3.0, the Opposition parties slammed the Centre, terming the budget as “Kursi Bachao Budget”, while the ruling party and its allies said that it was the roadmap for a “Viksit Bharat”.
The Opposition leaders’ criticism came after Nirmala Sitharaman announced in her budget special schemes for Andhra Pradesh and Bihar. The governments in the two states are led by the TDP and JDU, two key allies of the BJP, whose support is critical for the NDA government at the Centre staying in power.
A special financial support of Rs 15,000 crore was announced for Andhra Pradesh for developing its capital, Amaravati. For Bihar, development projects worth Rs58,900 crore were announced in the Union Budget.
The leader of the opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, criticised the Union Budget 2024-25 on Tuesday, accusing the Finance Minister of making hollow promises.
Taking to social media platform ‘X,’ he tweeted, “Kursi Bachao Budget. Appease Allies: Hollow promises to them at the cost of other states. Appease Cronies: Benefits to AA with no relief for the common Indian. Copy and Paste: Congress manifesto and previous budgets.” (ANI)
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