Budget 2024: Opposition walks out of Rajya Sabha over 'neglect' of States; Nirmala Sitharaman hits back

INDIA bloc protests Union Budget, alleging discrimination against states, leading to walkout from Rajya Sabha.

The INDIA bloc parties, led by the Congress, staged a walkout from the Rajya Sabha on July 24, in protest against all States, except two, being "ignored" in the Union Budget, an allegation termed "outrageous" by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, who said all the States never found a mention in any of the previous Budgets, including those presented by the Congress.

After Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar rejected notices under Rule 267 that called for the suspension of the listed agenda to take up the issue, Leader of Opposition and Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge said the Union Budget for the 2024-25 fiscal year provided funds and schemes for only two States — Bihar and Andhra Pradesh.

He said, “All other States did not find any mention,” terming the Budget a “kursi-bachao” document.

Mr. Kharge said the Congress and the other parties in the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) "condemn" this discrimination. As Mr. Dhankhar gave the Finance Minster floor to respond, Mr. Kharge led the Opposition bloc out of the House, saying they were walking out in protest.

The Finance Minister said she did not name many States either in the Interim Budget presented in February, ahead of the general election or in the full Budget tabled in Parliament on July 23, but that does not mean that government schemes are not working for the States.

She cited the example of Maharashtra, which was not named in either of the Budgets, and said that did not prevent the Union Cabinet from approving the ₹76,000-crore Vadhavan port project in Dahanu in the State last month.

"Did Maharashtra get ignored because I did not mention the name of Maharashtra? (An amount of) ₹76,000 crore has been announced for that project," she said. Ms. Sitharaman said she can cite several other States that have got major projects.