Two states given favours in Budget to save Modi's coalition govt: Gokhale

TMC Rajya Sabha MP Saket Gokhale on Monday, 29 July, tore into the Union budget saying two states have been extended favours to save the Narendra Modi-led coalition government.

Participating in the general discussion on the budget in the Rajya Sabha, the TMC member also alleged that 26 states have got nothing from finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman and West Bengal has been deliberately ignored.

"This Union budget is a clear and shameful case of taxation without representation," Gokhale said.

He emphasised that the idea of a government taking money without giving people adequate representation, without giving voice to the people and without people getting their share of taxes has been considered a colonial idea.

"Sadly, after listening to the finance minister's budget speech, the people of West Bengal, and several other opposition states found they have no representation or even a mention of how they will rightfully get their share of money from the taxes they all pay to the Union Government," the TMC member said.

Citing a conversation he had with a young woman professional who lives in Mumbai, Gokhale said her grocery bills have increased drastically because the Modi government has failed to check food prices.

He further said the infrastructure of Mumbai is falling apart and also referred to the deaths on railway tracks in the city.

"Thanks to the hard work of our social media savvy-reel-making railway minister, an average of seven people die on tracks of Mumbai locals every day in the financial capital of India," he claimed.

The TMC member went on to say that the hefty tax the young professional pays will go towards a special package for building roads in a completely different state, a place which she has not visited ever in her life.

This was an apparent reference to the package given to Bihar.

"Why? The only reason is her taxes are required to save the minority government of Narendra Modi which is completely reliant on two allies...a creaky coalition to keep it afloat...how many must die so that Caesar may remain king, this budget is an example of that," he said.

"You tax somebody so that your allies are happy so that your government manages to survive for few more months," he added referring to the packages announced for coalition partners in Bihar and Andhra Pradesh.

Gokhale further said the budget has allocated only 0.7 per cent of the total government's outlay in the budget for minorities.

The TMC MP also took a jibe at Modi for his "mujra" remarks during the Lok Sabha election campaign, saying the Prime Minister incited hatred against minorities by making ridiculous claims.

He said the Prime Minister made the remark to express his frustration that West Bengal has constantly rejected the BJP.

Referring to the walkout by West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee from NITI Aayog meeting on Saturday, Gokhale said she attended the meeting in good faith, but her mic was switched off after five minutes.