Congress slams budget as ‘old wine in a new bottle’

Describing the Union Budget as “insipid” and “old wine in a new bottle”, the Congress on Friday alleged that Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman belied expectations and gave no “meaningful relief” to any section of society.

The budget has been prepared without listening to the voicesof either ordinary citizens or knowledgeable economists, senior Congress leaderand former finance minister P Chidambaram claimed.

   

Terming the budget “insipid”, Chidambaram saidthat belying widespread expectations, the finance minister has given nomeaningful relief to any section of society.

“The Modi government treats India as one big stategovernment and has taken upon itself to do things that are the right and dutyof state governments. This is not cooperative federalism, it is an unequalpartnership imposed by the Centre upon state governments,” Chidambaramsaid.

In this year’s Budget, the finance minister hiked the tax onpetrol and diesel, raised import duty on gold, levied additional surcharge onthe super rich and brought a tax on high value cash withdrawals as she soughtto spur growth with reduction in corporate tax and sops to housing sector,start-ups and electric vehicles.

Criticising the Budget, Congress leader in Lok Sabha AdhirRanjan Chowdhury said it was just a repetition of “old promises”.

“They (the BJP) are talking about a new India, but itis simply old wine in a new bottle,” he told reporters outside Parliament.

He claimed that no new initiatives were announced by thegovernment.

The Modi government has tried to project India as “ElDorado” (a place of fabulous wealth for all), but in reality the pain ofthe economy is being experienced, he said.

“There is no plan for employment generation, there isno distinct plan for giving any facilities to agriculture sector, laboursector. This is nothing but a litany of old promises,” Chowdhury said.

Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala also slammedthe government over the budget proposals and asked if a “mundane juggleryof acronyms” can pass off for vision of a New India.”An utterly lacklustre, nondescript,uninspiring and directionless Budget 2019. Zero on economic revival. Zero onrural growth. Zero on job creation. Zero on Urban rejuvenation. Can a mundanejugglery of ‘acronyms’ pass off for vision for a ‘New India’?” he said onTwitter.

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