‘Only 4 Gujaratis enjoying the Budget; two are in Parliament, other two are Ambanis’

“Only four Gujaratis are enjoying this government and the budget. Two are in Parliament and the other two are Ambani. For everyone else, the budget and the coffers are empty,” said Rajeev Gowda, Congress Rajya Sabha MP. He was speaking at the protest against the anti-people budget at Jantar Mantar in the Capital on Wednesday.

Highlighting the report which stated that rural household consumption slumped to a seven-year low in September last year, Gowda said that this meant that as incomes were falling people had no money to buy food. “So, malnutrition is increasing. Consumption is dropping. This budget has nothing in it to increase spending. It is making a fool of everyone and there’s nothing in it for the poor,” added Gowda.

For 70 years, this country was growing, but now they are selling off the country, pointed out Annie Raja, General Secretary of National Federation of Indian Women (NFIW). “It has become difficult for common people to meet ends. There is nothing in the budget which would improve this situation. Demonetisation and GST killed the incomes of many people. This government had reduced the allocation for the National Rural Employment Guarantee Act. In last year’s revised budget, the allocation was ₹71,500 crore, but this year the government has allotted only ₹61,000 crores. We have to remember that this also includes pending payments from last year,” highlighted Raja.

“This government has not understood the enormity of the problem. There are graduates, post-graduates and engineers turning up to work under MGNREGA. That has also exacerbated the problem. They should have included something in the budget to spur the rural economy, but they have not. The food subsidy has been cut down too,” added Raja.

“The GDP, which is a measure of the economy, is falling. This means that unemployment is on the rise, jobs are not being created. In the automobile sector itself, lakhs of jobs have been lost. This is a bankrupt government presenting a bankrupt budget,” said Gowda.

“With this budget, BJP is saying that only if there is money in the hands of the rich will the economy grow. But, they have forgotten that unless money is put in the hands of the poor, the economy will not grow. It will continue to be in recession. BJP doesn’t believe in the poor, the farmers or the women of this country,” said Gautam Modi, a trade union leader.

Modi pointed out that this government wants to break unions and any unity for the poor as they don’t trust anyone.

Adding to Modi’s comments was another All India Trade Union Congress leader Santosh. “This is Ambani-Adani ka budget. Employees are not getting salaries. We must raise our voices against it. This government is simply looking to sell our assets. Niti Aayog has people from corporate houses and that is why no assistance is being given to the poor people. All the benefits are for the rich. They don’t want people to have any rights.”

“This budget had many firsts. It was the longest budget, it was the most boring budget and it even had 17 rules for farmers. But, when you analyse it, you realise there is nothing in those rules. The allocation for Food Corporation has been reduced. The allocation for food subsidy in 2019-20 was ₹1,84,220 crore. It has been revised to ₹1,08,688 crore. Several subsidies have been removed too,” underscored Yogendra Yadav of Swaraj Abhiyan.

Questioning the motives of the government, RTI activist Anjali Bhardwaj asked, “How will we eat if the farmers do not get subsidies to farm. There will be a reduction in production and price rise of basic food items.”

Taking a potshot at the Modi government’s economic survey, Gowda quipped, “In the Economic Survey, there was a chapter called ‘Thalinomics’, where it was stated that the price of every thali in various districts has reduced. It has been reduced because the items on the thali have decreased. Soon, the thali is going to be Khali (empty). This government is simply lying on all matters.”