GUWAHATI: Assam MP Gaurav Gogoi joined a chorus of opposition voices across India on Saturday, February 1, condemning the Union Budget 2025-26 as repetitive, hollow, and lacking in substantive measures to address key economic challenges.
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Speaking to the media after Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman presented the budget, Gogoi described the exercise as redundant, stating, "This budget is the same as we have been hearing for ten years."
Criticising the government's approach, Gogoi further remarked that the budget offered little more than rhetoric. "All we get are words. Beyond rhetoric, there is nothing substantial for the poor, farmers, or the middle class," he said.
He further alleged that tax waivers disproportionately favour large corporations while ordinary citizens continue to grapple with rising GST and mounting economic pressures. Dismissing the budget as a "non-event," Gogoi called it "the poorest of all in the last decade," and questioned the clarity surrounding the announcement of no tax for incomes up to ₹12 lakh per annum.
Gogoi's criticisms echo a wider backlash from opposition leaders across the country, who have condemned the budget for failing to address fundamental economic issues. The Congress party, in particular, lambasted the budget for neglecting the "illnesses" plaguing the economy, such as stagnant real wages, sluggish private investment, and a complex GST system.
Congress general secretary in-charge communications, Jairam Ramesh, stated, "The economy is suffering from four related crises — stagnant real wages, lack of buoyancy in mass consumption, sluggish rates of private investment, and a complicated GST system. The budget does nothing to address these illnesses."
The opposition also criticised the budget's regional allocations, suggesting political motivations behind certain announcements. While Bihar received significant attention, questions were raised about the neglect of other states. "While Bihar appears to have got a bonanza, why has the other pillar of the NDA, Andhra Pradesh, been so cruelly ignored?" Ramesh asked.
Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leaders also expressed dissatisfaction. Party national convener Arvind Kejriwal voiced disappointment over the government's refusal to end loan waivers for billionaires, suggesting that the money could have been redirected towards supporting the middle class and farmers. Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann described the budget as an "election budget" that ignored the needs of Punjab’s farmers and youth, criticising the lack of a minimum support price (MSP) for crops and support for the state's industries.
Similarly, Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader Abhishek Banerjee claimed that West Bengal had once again been deprived under the BJP-led NDA government. "There has been nothing for Bengal in the Union Budget," Banerjee said, highlighting that several budgetary announcements favoured Bihar, where assembly elections are due later this year.
Other regional leaders echoed similar sentiments. Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati argued that the budget prioritised political interests over addressing the real issues of inflation, poverty, and unemployment.
Telangana's BRS MLC K Kavitha, meanwhile, criticised the Centre for allocating zero funds to the state, despite it electing MPs from both the BJP and Congress. "Is it a Budget or 'Budget Neglect'?" she asked.
In Bihar, RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav criticised Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, a key NDA ally, for failing to secure substantial benefits for the state. Yadav pointed to the benefits secured by TDP chief Chandrababu Naidu for Andhra Pradesh and questioned the allocation of funds promised in previous budgets.
Kerala Finance Minister K N Balagopal also expressed strong disappointment, accusing the Centre of political discrimination in its budget allocations. He claimed Kerala's justified expectations were ignored, while the budget focused on states with upcoming elections, such as Bihar and Delhi.
