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Modi govt drops major Income Tax rebate, INDIA bloc seeks to bring focus on Maha Kumbh mishap
As the Narendra Modi government dropped major Income Tax rebates for the middle class, INDIA Bloc has dismissed the Budget announcements, seeking data on the Maha Kumbh stampede.
The INDIA bloc has often protested against the Income Tax burdens on the middle class, saying the Central government has made a point to take away every single penny from the salaried class while sparing the rich. But even as the Narendra Modi government dropped a major Income Tax rebate in the Union Budget 2025 for the salaried middle class, the Opposition has sought to shift the focus to the Maha Kumbh stampede.
In a major relief to the middle class and salaried citizens, Union Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Saturday, February 1, announced there will be no Income Tax payable for incomes up to ₹12 lakh, sparking celebrations.
While it has not commented on the Income Tax rebate by the Modi government, the Opposition bloc has stressed that the Budget 2025 data falls flat when a tragedy that struck Maha Kumbh devotees seeks acknowledgement in terms of numbers and management.
A total of 30 people died as thousands of devotees, jostling for space in a cramped area, climbed over the barricades to move to the other side, triggering a stampede. There are allegations that the death toll of 30 at the Maha Kumbh stampede tragedy is wrong.
‘NO DISCUSSION ON MAHA KUMBH MISHAP’
Some INDIA bloc MPs walked out of the Parliament, alleging that there was no discussion on the Maha Kumbh stampede where 30 devotees died, and some said the Budget was to appease Bihar, scheduled to go to polls later this year.
Samajwadi Party MP Dimple Yadav said there was nothing new in the Budget announcements as she demanded to know the data on the Maha Kumbh stampede.
Dimple Yadav said, “Nothing new was there in the budget. Samajwadi Party demands that govt give the details of all those devotees who lost their lives in Maha Kumbh. We demand the state govt to tell the reason behind the tragedy and also if they'll punish the officers responsible for that.”
Calling the Budget 2025 announcements the “weakest”, Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi said the Congress wanted discussion on the Maha Kumbh stampede. “We want a discussion on the Kumbh stampede in Parliament. INDIA Alliance walked out and we have not yet received any information on whether the discussion will take place or not. We want a discussion so that the truth can come out,” he said.
Also Read | Second stampede at Maha Kumbh? Another tragedy took place hours after first, ‘no one came to help’
‘ONLY BIHAR, BIHAR, BIHAR’
Shiromani Akali Dal MP Harsimrat Kaur Badal criticised the Modi government for announcements for Bihar, highlighting that there was nothing for Punjab and the farmers who have been protesting for months demanding Minimum Support Price (MSP).
“Look at the names of the states - Bihar, which is going to elections. Only Bihar, Bihar, Bihar. There was no mention of Punjab. Farmers are sitting in protest for the past 4 years over legal guarantee for MSP. What did they announce for farmers? Makhana Board. This was an anti-farmer Budget. Farmers who are fighting for their rights were not heard, this is sad,” she said.
Congress MP Manish Tewari said, “I fail to understand that was this a budget of govt of India or was this a budget of govt of Bihar? Have you heard the name of another state than Bihar in the entire budgetary speech of the union finance minister?”
‘NO ANTI-HINDU GOVT THAN THIS’
Congress MP Shashi Tharoor said, “So if you have a salary, you may be paying less tax. But the important question is, what happens if we don't have a salary? Where is the income going to come from?”
Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav dismissed the Budget announcements and slammed the Modi government for not releasing the data on Maha Kumbh mishap.
Akhilesh Yadav said, “The people of the country have understood that there cannot be a more anti-Hindu government than this.”
“Maha Kumbh comes after 12 years. For us, the data of people who died in the stampede in Maha Kumbh is more important than the budget data. The government is not able to tell how many people died, went missing or got injured," Akhilesh Yadav said.
“The death toll that has been given by the government is false.”
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Business NewsNewsModi govt drops major Income Tax rebate, INDIA bloc seeks to bring focus on Maha Kumbh mishap
First Published:1 Feb 2025, 02:47 PM IST
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