Sitharaman didn't mention ‘unemployment’ once in her speech: Congress

Chidambaram said Sitharaman's Budget speech did not have any mention of the words like poverty, unemployment, inequality.

Union finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman did not even mention the word 'unemployment' once in her Budget speech, Congress leader P Chidambaram said, criticising Sitharaman's 5th Budget -- a year before the 2024 Lok Sabha Elections. Likewise, the FM did not mention the word 'poverty', 'inequality' or 'equity' in her speech, Chidambaram added. "Mercifully, she said the word 'poor' twice in her speech. I am sure the people will take note of who are the concerns of the government and who are not," Chidambaram added.

Chidambaram said Sitharaman did not mention the word poverty or unemployment even once in her speech.

Not the poor, the youth, the taxpayers, the homemakers have been benefitted by the Budget, Chidambaram said. “The govt is determined to push for the new tax regime for which there are few takers for a variety of reasons,” the Congress leader said.

That the new tax regime will be the default one is grossly unfair and will rob the ordinary taxpayer of the social security that the old regime may still offer, Chidambaram said.

While many experts,and business leaders have lauded Nirmala Sitharaman's Budget 2023 which made income upto ₹7 lakh tax-free, the opposition termed the budget as opportunistic and said there is nothing for the farmers and the poor.

Congress leader Jairam Ramesh said the budget is based on OPUD strategy -- over promise, under deliver. "Last year's Budget drew applause for allocation towards agriculture, health, education, MGNREGA & welfare of SCs. Today the reality is evident. Actual expenditure is substantially LOWER than budgeted. This is Modi’s OPUD strategy of headline management—Over Promise, Under Deliver," Jairam Ramesh tweeted.