'Kaun kha raha hai Budget ka halwa?' Rahul asks in Lok Sabha

Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi, in his speech on the 2024 Union Budget in Parliament, asserted that 73 per cent of India's population, including OBCs, SCs, and the economically disadvantaged among the general castes, were overlooked.

He emphasised the need for a caste census and criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi for favouring big businesses while creating obstacles for small enterprises.

Using the metaphor of the chakravyuh (unbreakable circle) from the Mahabharata, Gandhi explained that the Budget primarily aims to bolster the monopoly of major corporations. He named Adani and Ambani but, upon being interrupted by Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, referred to them as A1 and A2.

“India is trapped in a chakravyuh represented by the lotus symbol that PM Modi wears on his chest,” Gandhi said.

Showing a photo of Union finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman distributing the traditional Indian dessert called halwa, Gandhi remarked: "I want to explain this photo, sir. In it, the halwa of the Budget is being distributed. However, I do not see a single OBC officer, a single tribal officer, or a single Dalit officer in the picture. What is happening here, sir? The halwa of the country is being divided, but 73 per cent of the population is not represented. You all are enjoying the halwa while the rest of the country is left without any."

“The chakravyuh entrapping India is driven by three forces: the concept of monopoly capital, where two individuals control vast wealth; the nation's institutions and agencies like the CBI, ED, and IT; and the political executive. These three forces together have devastated the country,” Gandhi explained.

Drawing parallels to the Mahabharata, he mentioned that just as six warriors created the chakravyuh in the ancient Indian epic, a similar few within the BJP and the government are constructing barriers for the poor and marginalised.

Gandhi also criticised the Budget for neglecting the issues of tax terrorism and failing to address the concerns of the middle class. He remarked that the middle class, who had once shown support by banging thalis during the Covid pandemic responding to the prime minister’s appeal, has now shifted towards the INDIA bloc.

“The Budget fails to address the problems faced by youth, farmers, and the middle class,” Gandhi continued. "I assure the farmers of the country that we will accomplish what the NDA has not. We will pass a bill guaranteeing legal MSP in this House.”