Maximum catchphrases, minimum catch-points: Surjewala summarises Budget 2019-20

Congress leader Randeep Singh Surjewala on Friday said that the Union Budget failed to address core issues like job creation, education and urban rejuvenation while summarising the Union Budget as "maximum intent, minimum content, maximum catchphrases, minimum catch-points!".

He also criticised the government for raising excise duty on the fuels.

In a series of tweets, the Congress spokesperson accused Finance Minister Nirmala Sithraman of "betraying" people.

"An utterly lacklustre, nondescript, uninspiring and directionless Budget 2019. Zero on Economic Revival. Zero on Rural Growth. Zero on Job Creation. Zero on Urban Rejuvenation. Can mundane jugglery of 'acronyms' pass off for vision for a 'New India'?" he said.

The Congress leader accused the government of not doing enough to address the agrarian crisis.

"Can the agrarian crisis be solved through hollow words? Neither any measure to double farmers' income nor any promise on MSP and any measure to combat drought. There was no provision to address the crisis in the rural economy. Only prices of diesel were increased by Rs 2," he wrote with #NewIndia hashtag.

He said Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government took away Rs 13,00,000 crore of the public money by increasing 443 per cent and 211 per cent excise duty in its first tenure.

"Budget2019 Modi 2.0 - Corporates with an annual turnover of Rs400,00,00,000 (Rs400Cr) get an income tax break from 30% to 25%. No relief for honest 'taxpayer'! 'Betrayal' of India's Youth! 1. Not a word on unemployment. 2. not a word on new opportunities. 3. not a word on public education. 4. not a word on high fee structure" he said.

Surjewala also said claimed that GDP projection of the government was an "overstatement". "GDP projections are overstated! Budget Estimates project GDP at 8% EcoSurvery2019 projects GDP at 7% Actual GDP last Qtr of FY19 is 6.8% Perception V/S Reality!" he wrote.

He also drew a relation between Sensax's slump after the tabling of Budget in Parliament.

Surjewala said: "BJP has been tom-tomming Sensex as a barometer of economic growth. Today, Sensex lost 395 points post budget, giving a thumbs down to the maiden budget of Modi 2.