Rahul Gandhi To Address Union Budget In Lok Sabha Today

Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi is expected to address the Union Budget 2024 in the Lower House at 2 pm today. Sources indicate that Congress MPs believe Rahul, as the Leader of the Opposition, should deliver the address. Despite having spoken during the special Parliament session, Rahul Gandhi previously expressed a desire for rotational speaking opportunities among party members. However, mounting pressure from MPs suggests that his address is considered crucial for its potential impact. Earlier this week, Rahul Gandhi criticized the Union Budget presented by the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). He described the budget as an attack on “the dignity of India’s federal structure,” accusing the government of neglecting and discriminating against states that do not align with its political stance. His criticism was voiced in a Facebook post and during a protest by the INDIA bloc against the Budget at the Parliament complex on Friday.

Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge echoed similar concerns, accusing Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman of favoring only two states in her budget speech. Kharge, also the Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha, argued that the budget reflects a strategy to preserve the BJP-led government, which relies on support from JD-U and TDP. He asserted that such a budget, prioritizing political survival over equitable development, is unprecedented and unjust. As Rahul Gandhi contemplates his final decision on addressing the House, the Congress party’s stance remains clear: they view the budget as politically motivated and detrimental to the principles of federal fairness.