Congress CMs to boycott NITI Aayog meet over 'discriminatory' 2024 Budget

Union Budget 2024: Siddaramaiah (Karnataka), Revanth Reddy (Telangana), Sukhvinder Sukhu (Himachal Pradesh) will boycott the NITI Aayog meeting on July 27

Terming the 2024 Budget as ‘discriminatory’ and ‘dangerous’, the Congress on Tuesday announced that their chief ministers — Siddaramaiah of Karnataka, Revanth Reddy of Telangana, and Sukhvinder Sukhu of Himachal Pradesh — will be absent from the NITI Aayog Governing Council meeting set for July 27.

Additionally, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and DMK leader MK Stalin has also declared his intention to boycott the NITI Aayog meeting, which will be chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, as a protest gesture.
 

Congress General Secretary (Organisation) KC Venugopal said that the Union Budget was against the principles of federalism.

In a post on X (formerly Twitter), 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 July 27.”

 

 

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.…

— K C Venugopal (@kcvenugopalmp) July 23, 2024

He further said, “This government’s attitude is completely antithetical to Constitutional principles. We will not participate in an event that is solely designed to hide the true, discriminatory colours of this regime.”

On Tuesday, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman unveiled a series of initiatives during her Budget address. These included increasing the standard deduction in the new tax regime from Rs 50,000 to Rs 75,000, adjusting tax slabs in the new regime, reducing Customs duties on gold and silver, introducing three employment-linked incentive schemes, and allocating Rs 2 trillion for job creation, among other measures.

‘Sarkar Bachao Budget’: Oppn slams Centre

In response to this, the Congress criticised the Centre, labelling the Budget as a ‘Sarkar Bachao’ strategy aimed at addressing political pressures to sustain what they described as a ‘lame duck’ administration.

Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi criticised the 2024 Union Budget document as a “kursi bachao” Budget.

He further accused FM Sitharaman of copying from the Congress’ election manifesto.

In a post on X (formerly Twitter), the Congress leader said, “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.”

 

“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.

— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) July 23, 2024

Jairam Ramesh criticises FM Sitharaman

Congress leader Jairam Ramesh criticised the Finance Minister for copying the internship programme proposal from his party’s Lok Sabha election manifesto, which seeks to provide opportunities for 10 million young people. He also expressed discontent with the government for not granting ‘special category’ status to Andhra Pradesh.

In a post on X (formerly Twitter), the Congress leader said, “The finance minister has taken a leaf out of the INC’s Nyay Patra 2024, with its internship programme clearly modelled on the INC’s proposed Apprenticeship Program that was called Pehli Naukri Pakki.”