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Budget 2008: Reactions from political parties
New Delhi, February 29, 2008
The political parties have given a like warm response to
the Union Budget 2008 announced by Finance Minister P
Chidambaram in Parliament on Friday.
A section of them has praised the UPA government for
fulfilling the aspirations of the common man and presenting a
balanced budget that aims at further accelerating the growth
rate of the Indian economy. Another section, especially the
opposition parties including BJP, Shiv Sena and others have
criticised the government of Dr Manmohan Singh for presenting
a budget that would consolidate it’s position in the forth
coming General Election.
Debt waiver is a “revolutionary step": UPA chairperson
Sonia Gandhi
Patting Finance Minister P Chidamabaram on the back, UPA
chairperson Sonia Gandhi today termed the waiver of farmer
loans a "revolutionary step".
"Today is a very happy occasion. The waiver of loans on
farmers by the UPA government is a revolutionary step. I
congratulate the UPA government and Finance Minister P
Chidambaram for it," Gandhi said while addressing a large
gathering of farmers who descended at her 10 Janpath residence
soon after the announcement of the debt relief in the Union
Budget 2008-09.
Congress leader Kapil Sibbal gave full marks to the excellent
budget presented by Finance Minister P Chidambaram. “The
budget has demonstrated that UPA in almost five years of rule
has not only brought more money into the country but also
hopes and smiles on the face of millions of Indians”.
Congress MP Sachin Pilot categorically rejected allegations
that it is an electoral budget. “The debt waiver announced by
the Finance Minister is a huge relief to the families of
thousands of farmers, as hundreds of farmers have committed
suicide and the UPA government has successfully provided a
solution for their problems.
Budget lacks long term perspective: CPI
CPI secretary D Raja on Friday criticised the Budget 2008-09
saying it lacked long term perspective and gave the indication
that the direction in which economic reforms were going could
be "dangerous".
Terming the exercise as a "stunt", the party said the budget
was silent on the four per cent interest rate on loans to
farmers and demand for setting up of National Debt Relief
Commission.
"The budget lacks long term perspective. It is more of short
term relief", CPI secretary D Raja said shortly after the
Budget Presentation by Finance Minister P Chidambaram.
The direction of the economic reforms is the same, which could
be "dangerous", he said.
On NREGA, he said the allotment is not enough given the fact
that the whole country has to be brought under its purview.
Budget is an election manifesto : BJP
Dubbing the budget as an "election manifesto" of the UPA, BJP
today said by presenting such a document, the government has
virtually declared early polls.
"It is the clear signal that elections are being held early.
The nature of the budget is virtual declaration of mid-term
elections," BJP vice president Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said while
commenting on the budget presented in Parliament by Finance
Minister P Chidambaram.
“The budget was not people-friendly but poll-friendly and that
the proposals will not be implemented by the Congress-led
government. The budget document is an election manifesto of
the UPA," Naqvi said.
BJP spokesman Prakash Javadekar said the government had
remained silent for five years even as farmers continued to
die and its "sensitivity has been triggered in the wake of
early elections".
Rani Shankar Prasad today accused the UPA government for not
giving due credit to the commendable foundations laid by the
previous NDA government the fruits of which it was reaping.
“It’s just an eyewash, as it has failed to address the concern
of the common man, ” he added.
Yashwant Sinha, Former Finance Minister and BJP leader said,
“Clear attempts have been made to make the budget appear
“people friendly”. However, the Budget is completely silent on
three major issues – the staggering inflation, rising prices
of essential commodities, rising spending in the
infrastructure sector.
Prof V K Malhotra “The Budget announced by the FM is mum on
providing any relief to those farmers who have taken huge debt
from the private money lenders.” They have prepared a budget
keeping in mind the upcoming General Elections, which in long
run will lead to price hike and higher inflation. There has
been no relief for the government employees.”
Sushma Swaraj, “The government in announcing the deadlines for
implementing the farmers debt relief and extension of LIC
policy for below poverty line families for June and September
2008 respectively, seems to have indicated that it may
announce elections by end of this year.”
“The Finance Minister has given a religious twist to the
budget by rolling out sops for minorities, SCs and STs.
However he did not make any references to those belonging to
economically backward sections of society," she said.
NDA convenor George Fernandes said, “The debt relief given to
farmers should have come earlier".
“Historic budget”: RJD chief Laloo Prasad
Union Railway Minister Laloo Prasad, “The 2008 Budget has
equally addressed the concerns of senior citizens,
marginalized farmers, women and the minority community. It’s a
historic budget, as it is for the first time that the debt
waiver to the tune of Rs 60,000 cr for farmers has been
announced by our government.“
Union Budget a `divine gift` to farmers: Karunanidhi
Reacting to the Union Budget, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M
Karunanidhi said, “It’s a "divine gift" to farmers as it had
waived Rs 60,000 crore of their outstanding loans.”
Congratulating Chidambaram for presenting a "please all
budget", the Chief Minister in a statement noted that the
budget had provided Rs 300 crore for a desalination plant in
Chennai to meet the drinking water requirements of the city
and Rs 70 crore for an integrated power loom complex at erode.
Demands partially fulfilled: Shiv Sena
Manohar Joshi, former Lok Sabha Speaker, and Shiv Sena leader,
“It’s not an happy budget at all. Every one knows that we have
long championed for the causes of farmers. Why has the UPA
government waited for long and did nothing to stop farmers
from committing suicide? Why this debt waiver has been
announced this year only, why not earlier ?
Former Union Minister Suresh Prabhu
“The budget as a "give away exercise" and wondered how the
Finance Minister would ensure fiscal prudence.
H D Deve Gowda Former Prime Minister, H D Deve Gowda said
though farmers have got some relief, it looks like an election
budget.
It`s a gender sensitive budget: Renuka
Women and child development minister Renuka Chowdhary said,
"This is gender sensitive, gender oriented budget. The finance
minister has offered a great relief for women who do not need
to pay any tax for earnings upto 1.8 lakh. The agricultural
women have also got a relief in form of the loan waiver. So
the budget has covered women all over,"
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