New Delhi, Jul 24, 2024, IANS

New Delhi, July 24 (IANS) The opposition INDIA bloc leaders on Wednesday staged a protest in Parliament premises against the Union Budget. They alleged that the Budget was "discriminatory" against the opposition-ruled states. Holding posters, the leaders raised slogans against the government, saying that the Budget was for "kursi Bachao" only. The protesting leaders said the Budget was mainly for Bihar and Andhra Pradesh and had nothing for the opposition-ruled states. Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi, Congress MP Sonia Gandhi, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, party General Secretary K.C. Venugopal, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav, Trinamool Congress MP Dola Sen, Sanjay Raut of Shiv Sena(UBT), and other MPs were seen participating in the protest. The decision to protest was taken at a meeting of the bloc on Tuesday after the Budget was tabled by the Union Finance Minister. As part of the protest, Congress Chief Ministers will also boycott the NITI Aayog meeting scheduled for July 27. Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin also has said that he would not attend the NITI Aayog Governing Council meeting. "This government's attitude is completely antithetical to Constitutional principles. We will not participate if it is solely designed to hide the discriminatory colours of this regime," Venugopal alleged. On Tuesday, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman tabled the Budget for 2024-25, marking her seventh consecutive budget presentation and surpassing former Prime Minister Morarji Desai's record. Prime Minister Narendra Modi later posted on social media: "The '#BudgetForViksitBharat' ensures inclusive growth, benefiting every segment of society and paving the way for a developed India."