"Mere rhetoric not enough...": BSP chief Mayawati on Union Budget

New Delhi [India], February 1 (ANI): Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) president Mayawati on Sunday urged the government to focus on actual implementation rather than rhetoric while evaluating the Union Budget 2026-2027, warning that grand announcements regarding schemes and projects alone are insufficient for the welfare of all sections of society.
In a post shared on X, Mayawati said the true test of the budget lies not in its presentation but in its execution and tangible impact on the lives of the poor and marginalised.
"In the budget presented by the Central Government in the country's Parliament today, regarding various schemes, projects, promises, and assurances, the future outcomes of these seem to suggest that while their names are grand and lofty, it would be better if their manifestations on the ground are not diminished or insignificant. Therefore, for the welfare of all sections of society, mere rhetoric is not enough; implementation with genuine intent is also essential," Mayawati wrote.
The BSP chief emphasised that the Union Budget reflects the ruling party's true priorities, revealing whether the government genuinely prioritises the welfare of the poor and marginalised.

"The Central Government's budget essentially serves as a mirror reflecting the ruling party's policy and intent, as well as the conduct, character, and face of those in power, revealing whether the government's thinking is truly geared toward the poor and marginalized, fostering broad national interest, or if it is a nurturer of capitalist ideology, supportive of big capitalists and wealthy tycoons," Mayawati said.
"Moreover, in the specific context of our India, it holds particular importance to examine whether the government's policy, if aimed at long-term self-reliance, accords due significance to the public sector and, in accordance with the sacred intent of the welfare-oriented Constitution envisioned by the most revered Baba Saheb Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar, what concrete actions have been taken," the post further read.
Mayawati further questioned whether the promises of last year's budget have been fulfilled or reduced to ceremonial formalities, and whether there has been any meaningful improvement in people's lives.
"And in this very vein, the budget presented in Parliament today must also be viewed to check if it, too, follows the traditional pattern of arriving with fanfare only to leave behind a sense of disappointment, like so many before it. At the same time, it raises the question of whether the claims, promises, and hopes outlined by the government in last year's budget have been fulfilled today, or if they have merely been reduced to a ceremonial formality. And has there been any comparative change in people's lives?" she asked.
Mayawati further cautioned that, beyond GDP, the budget's real impact can be measured only by the qualitative transformation it drives for public welfare.
"In reality, what truly matters more than GDP is the multifaceted development eagerly anticipated in people's lives and the qualitative transformation long awaited by the masses--directly linked to broad public welfare and national interest--which must be assessed before we applaud the current budget. If the government sheds some light on this, it would be a good thing for the people's 'better days'; otherwise, who will shoulder this responsibility?" she further asked.

देश के संसद में आज केन्द्र सरकार द्वारा लाये गये बजट में विभिन्न योजनाओं, परियोजनाओं, वादों और आश्वासनों के सम्बन्ध में भविष्य में इनके परिणामों को लेकर यही लगता है कि इनके नाम तो बड़े-बड़े हैं, किन्तु जमीनी स्तर पर इनके दर्शन छोटे ना हो तो बेहतर होगा। इसीलिए सर्वसमाज के हित में…

— Mayawati (@Mayawati) February 1, 2026

Earlier today, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman presented the Union Budget 2026-27 in Lok Sabha, her ninth consecutive Union Budget.
The Finance Ministry said in a statement that it is the first Budget prepared in Kartavya Bhawan and is inspired by three 'Kartavyas' (duties).
The first 'kartavya' is to accelerate and sustain economic growth, by enhancing productivity and competitiveness, and building resilience to volatile global dynamics, second kartavya is to fulfil aspirations of people and build their capacity, making them strong partners in India's path to prosperity while the third kartavya, aligned with vision of Sabka Sath, Sabka Vikas, is to ensure that every family, community, region and sector has access to resources, amenities and opportunities for meaningful participation. (ANI)