New Delhi, Jul 24, 2024, IANS

New Delhi, July 24 (IANS) Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, in a strong rebuttal to the Opposition’s charge of the Union Budget being ‘politically biased’ towards the non-NDA states, said that all states have got equal and dedicated funds allocation. “If any state is not named in the Budget speech, this doesn’t mean that they have been left out,” the Finance Minister said in Rajya Sabha. Further, hitting out at the Opposition parties, she said that a deliberate attempt was made by parties including Congress to give an impression that nothing is being given to states ruled by non-NDA parties. "I would challenge the Congress party, in each of their budget speeches, have they named every state of this country. This is an outrageous allegation," Sitharaman said. Notably, the INDIA bloc leaders described the Budget as anti-people and discriminatory towards non-NDA states. They claimed that the Budget was not a ‘BJP document’ and it must cater to all states while referring to the bonanza given to Bihar and Andhra Pradesh. FM Sitharaman took exception to these charges and cited the example of Maharashtra to counter the Opposition’s claims of discrimination. "The cabinet, under the leadership of PM Modi, took the decision to set up a very big port in Vadhavan in Maharashtra. Did Maharashtra get ignored because I did not mention the name? Rs 76,000 crore has been announced for the project," she said. "If the speech does not mention a particular state, does it mean that the schemes and programmes of government don't extend to these states?" she asked. Doubling down her attack, she said that the Congress party having stayed in power for a very long time has presented many budgets and they know it very well that you don't get an opportunity to name every state in the Budget speech. She said that a deliberate attempt was being made to mislead the people. As some members of Trinamool Congress returned to the House during her speech, the Finance Minister said, "Yesterday, TMC questioned the Budget, saying nothing has been given to Bengal. Several schemes given by the Prime Minister in the last 10 years have not been implemented in West Bengal. And, you have the audacity to ask me now?"