Congress MP Rahul Gandhi on Friday launched a sharp attack on Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman over the preparation of the Union Budget, questioning the alleged lack of representation for the marginalised communities in the decision-making process.
Speaking at a rally in Delhi ahead of the assembly polls, Gandhi highlighted the absence of Dalits, tribals, backward classes, and minorities in the budget-making process.
Gandhi, who is also the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, also alleged that the budget-making process was dominated by a few.
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“Tomorrow you will see that the finance minister will go with a briefcase. A photo will come. You will not see a single Dalit, a tribal, a backward class person or a minority in the photo. 90 officers will prepare the budget tomorrow. Out of 90, 3 officers are from OBC. Your population is 50 per cent and tomorrow if 100 rupees are distributed in the budget, then your officers will decide only 5 rupees,” ANI quoted Gandhi as saying.
Gandhi’s criticism comes a day ahead of the 2025 Union Budget, which will be presented by Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on February 1.
Rahul Gandhi slams Kejriwal for destroying Cong’s ‘infrastructure’
Gandhi then turned his focus to AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal and accused him too of not including people from minority communities in his team.
“There are 9 people in Kejriwal’s team. There is no Dalit, Adivasi, backward class or minority in this leadership team. This is also a party of 2-3 per cent,” said Gandhi.
The Congress leader also lashed out at Kejriwal for failing to clean Yamuna after 10 years.
“Kejriwal had said 5 years ago that he would drink Yamuna water, and take a dip in Yamuna. He is roaming around with a water bottle and saying that the Haryana government or someone else has made it dirty. Kejriwal, the responsibility is yours. Our fight is based on ideology, our fight is not opportunistic,” he added.
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Gandhi also criticised the AAP government for destroying the infrastructure built by the Congress during former CM Sheila Dixit’s tenure.
“Arvind Kejriwal came in a WagonR and went straight to the parking lot of Sheesh Mahal. The infrastructure that Sheila ji had built, roads, bridges, flyovers, development work that was done, he has destroyed all of that,” said Gandhi.