Budget 2022 disappoints salaried, middle class, says Congress as more reactions pour in

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman presented Budget 2022 in the Parliament on February 1.

In a first political reaction on Union Budget 2022, Congress senior leader Randeep Singh Surjewala said Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and Prime Minister Narendra Modi disappointed the salaried class and the middle class population.

“India’s Salaried Class and Middle Class were hoping for relief in times of pandemic, all round pay cuts and back breaking inflation. FM and PM have again deeply disappointed them in Direct Tax measures. This is a betrayal of India’s Salaried Class and Middle Class,” Surjewala tweeted.

The finance minister presented the Union Budget for FY 2022-23 on February 1. In her Union Budget 2022-23 speech, Sitharaman did not announce any change in income tax slabs for 2022-23. The income tax rates for 2022-23 were also not revised.

Rahul Gandhi: Former Congress President Rahul Gandhi has called the Union Budget 2022 a "Zer0 Sum Budget".

M0di G0vernment’s Zer0 Sum Budget!

Related Stories

• Quad condemns Red Fort attack, pledges stronger counter-terrorism cooperation
• DK Shivakumar condemns ED summons against him, brother over National Herald donations: 'Torture'
• 'Hindu rate of growth' term maligned entire civilisation, shed such mentality: PM Modi

Nothing for - Salaried class - Middle class - The poor & deprived - Youth - Farmers - MSMEs — Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) February 1, 2022

Randeep Singh Surjewala: “Is Crypto Currency now legal, without bringing the Cryptocurrency Bill, as you tax the cryptocurrency?,” the Congress leader tweeted, asking three questions related to cryptocurrency: “What about its regulator? What about regulation of Crypto Exchanges? What about investor protection?”

Sitharaman has proposed to introduce Digital Rupee by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) using blockchain technology starting from 2022-23.

Senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor: "Extremely disappointing, a damp squib! There seems to be absolutely nothing in this Budget. It's an astonishingly disappointing Budget. When you listen to the speech, no mention of MGNREGA, of Defence, of any other urgent priorities facing the public," Tharoor told news agency ANI.

He further said that the Budget seems to be pushing the mirage of 'achhe din' even farther away.

We are facing terrible inflation and there's no tax relief for the middle class. This is a Budget that seems to be pushing the mirage of 'achhe din' even farther away. Now it's India at 100, we'll have to wait for 25 more yrs for 'acche din' to arrive: Congress MP Shashi Tharoor pic.twitter.com/8tRuKNw8gu — ANI (@ANI) February 1, 2022

Mamata Banerjee: West Bengal Chief Minister Trinamool Congress Supremo Mamata Banerjee has said that The Budget has zero for common people, who are getting crushed by unemployment and inflation. "Govt is lost in big words signifying nothing - a pegasus spin budget." she tweeted.

Arvind Kejriwal: "People had high expectations from the Budget during the corona period. The Budget has disappointed the people. There is nothing in the Budget for the general public. Nothing to reduce price rise," Delhi Chief Minister and Aam Aadmi Party leader Arvind Kejriwal tweets.

Mallikarjun Kharge: "Budget is only for the rich; it has nothing for the poor. It's Arjuna and Dronacharya's budget, not Eklavya's (from Mahabharata). They also mentioned cryptocurrency, which doesn't have any law, nor has it been discussed before. The Budget is benefitting their friends," Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge says.

Mayawati: "The Union Budget presented in the Parliament today has been brought to woo the public with new promises, while the implementation of the past promises and old announcements have been forgotten. How appropriate is it? Why is the Centre free from worries of poverty, unemployment, inflation and suicides by farmers. The central government is patting its back. The tax burden has made the life of the people miserable. Hence, it would be better if the Centre makes efforts to reduce the despair and disappointment among the people due to inflation and insecurity," Bahujan Samaj Party chief Mayawati says in a series of tweets.

 Union Minister Nitin Gadkari: Priority given to agriculture, rural areas, and welfare of all sectors followed by a focus on infrastructure. The introduction of the 'Parvat Mala' project in my ministry is a great gift for hilly areas and it will create jobs. Thankful to FM for this excellent Budget.

Union Minister Kiren Rijiju: "This is a very good Budget. It is a very inclusive Budget that takes care of the interests of every section of society including the poor, rural and border areas, and the people living in the Northeast," he told reporters.

Shivraj Singh Chouhan: "This is a budget for the common man; to benefit the poor, lower middle class, middle class. Allocation of Rs 1,400 crores for the Ken-Betwa Linking project will change Bundelkhand. This budget will double farmer's income," Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan tells news agency ANI.

BJP MP Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore: "This is a very good budget for the common man... with an increase of 35 percent in infrastructure, to automatically accelerate the economy. It's a booster shot that will pace up manufacturing in the country, keeping the country's money in the country."

Union Minister G Kishan Reddy: "It's a progressive Budget. Our government is concentrating on infrastructure, employment generation, future development. A good allocation made for the northeast, its culture and tourism," Reddy says.