Union Budget 2023: Opposition criticises the new budget

While the salaried class is happy with the new tax slab that are introduced in the budget 2023, the opposition is not much liking the simplified budget. One of the firsts to react was Bihar Deputy Chief Minister, Tejashwi Yadav. He said, “Bihar is a backward state. The PM and the centre had made commitments to grant Bihar a special package and status several times before. I do not think anything of this sort will be done. They have only fooled us. Let us see what is being done for Bihar in the budget.” 

The deputy chief minister also compared the previous budgets with the ones presented by the BJP-led government now. Comparing this budget with the previous ones, he added, “There is a lot of difference between previous budgets and the budget now. During UPA’s time, there was a separate railway budget. The present government has totally removed the railway budget. Now the common budget is small without any detailing. The people should be clearly told about the revenue and the expenditure. People should be told where the money is coming from and where is it going.” 

Actor and Politician Shatrughan Sinha targeted the government and said, “The budget was presented keeping in mind the upcoming Lok Sabha elections and there was nothing special mention for the middle-class people. Looking at the budget, it seems as if it has been created to specially care about the ‘Hum Do Humare Do’ as it is evident from the significantly reduced highest slab for Income Tax payers. People understand it well whom have they done it for.” Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, during the Budget session today, announced an increase in the income tax rebate limit from Rs 5 lakh to Rs 7 lakh stating that the new tax regime will now be the default tax regime. 

Further, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee slammed the government over its changed income tax slab and said, “Changes in income tax slabs will not help anyone.”

Reacting to the Budget 2023, Congress MP Jairam Ramesh tweeted, “Last year’s Budget drew applause for allocation towards agriculture, health, education, MGNREGA & welfare of SCs. Today the reality is evident. Actual expenditure is substantially lower than budgeted. This is Modi’s OPUD strategy of headline management—Over Promise, Under Deliver.”