Budget is for poor, farmers and middle class: Union Minister Sukanta Majumdar slams Rahul Gandhi

New Delhi [India], February 2 (ANI): Union Minister Sukanta Majumdar hit out at Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi for claiming that Union Budget will "benefit 20-25 billionaires," and said that the budget is for the poor, farmers and the middle class including Dalit community.
Sukanta Majumdar said, "Rahul Gandhi presently is getting teachings from such teachers, who do not have jobs. Even they are jobless. That's why this kind of misguided words are coming from the LoP of our country. This budget is for the poor, farmers and the middle class. Within the middle class and lower-middle-class people, the highest participation is from the Dalit community and in the poor we have both, SCs and STs."
He further said that every section of society has been touched by this budget.
"In the education sector also the government has invested so much money. A Centre for Excellence will be opened on AI and role of AI on education. The government has allocated Rs 500 crores. All the secondary schools (standard 9 to 12) will be connected through broadband. Those village schools will be connected through broadband," he added.
Earlier Rahul Gandhi criticised the Union Budget 2025, alleging that the target of the budget was only to benefit 20-25 people and give money in the hands of the billionaires. He also brushed off the benefits of income tax exemption up to Rs 12 lakh, the biggest announcement of the budget.
"The target of the budget was to benefit 25 people. They will give you a little, they will waive a little tax but if you see the target of the budget, is to provide India's money to 20-25 billionaires. In India, 50 per cent are backward class, 15 per cent are Dalits, 8 per cent are tribals, 15 per cent are minorities and suppose, 5 per cent are from poor, general-class people," he said at a public meeting in Delhi's Sadar Bazar.
Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman presented the Union Budget 2025 in the Lok Sabha on Saturday outlining a roadmap for India's continued economic expansion, emphasising agriculture, micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs), investment, and exports.
Nirmala Sitharaman, during her Union Budget 2025 speech, announced that no income tax will be payable on income up to Rs 12 lakh, providing significant relief to taxpayers, especially the middle class.
"To taxpayers up to Rs 12 lakh of normal income (other than special rate income such as capital gains) tax rebate is being provided in addition to the benefit due to slab rate reduction in such a manner that there is no tax payable by them," said Sitharaman. (ANI)