INDIA bloc protest Highlights: Farmer leaders meet Rahul Gandhi in Parliament with Cong MPs in attendance

INDIA bloc protest Highlights: Leaders of INDIA bloc protest against 'discriminatory' Union Budget 2024 which was presented by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on July 23. The INDIA bloc leaders are demanding equal treatment to all States, in Parliament. While speaking to reporters, Congress President & LoP Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge said, "Many didn't get justice (in Union Budget). We are fighting for justice."

On Opposition’s protest against ‘discriminatory’ Budget, FM Nirmala Sitharaman in Rajya Sabha said, "…In every Budget, you don’t get an opportunity to name every state of this country...The Cabinet had taken a decision to set up a port on Vadavan. But Maharashtra’s name was not taken in the Budget yesterday. Does this mean that Maharashtra feels ignored? If a particular state is named in the speech, does it mean that programs of GOI don't go to these states? This is a deliberate attempt of the Opposition led by Congress to give the impression to people that nothing has been given to our states. This is an outrageous allegation...”

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Criticism of Budget by Oppn reveals their political frustration, negative attitude towards backward states: BJP

The BJP on Wednesday lashed out at the Congress and other opposition parties for criticising the Union Budget and said it reveals their political frustration and negative attitude towards "some backward states" that need special focus and assistance for development.

It demanded that the Congress and Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi apologise to the people of Bihar and Andhra Pradesh for their remark on the budgetary announcements made for these states.

Chidambaram highlights 'unemployment' as key challenge during Union Budget debate in Rajya Sabha

During the discussions on the Union Budget 2024-25 in the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday, Congress leader and former finance minister, P Chidambaram, raised four major challenges facing the economy.

The most significant challenge is unemployment. Data released by the Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy (CMIE) indicates that the unemployment rate for June 2024 is 9.2%. Chidambaram emphasised that the primary challenge for the economy is creating sufficient employment opportunities. He pointed out that the budget's announcement of the employment-linked incentives (ELI) scheme suggests that the Production Linked Incentives (PLI) scheme is not generating the expected employment. He requested the finance minister to disclose the number of jobs created by the PLI scheme.

MSP can be implemented, will rally INDIA bloc to pressurise govt: Rahul Gandhi after meeting farmer leaders

Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday met with a 12-member delegation of farmer leaders from different states, who apprised him of various issues they have been facing.

After the meeting held at his office in Parliament House Complex, Gandhi emphasized the Congress party's commitment to providing a legal guarantee for the Minimum Support Price (MSP) in their manifesto.

He stated that an assessment has shown that the legal guarantee of MSP can be implemented.

Several INDIA bloc members back Jagan's protest in Delhi; TDP calls it 'drama'

YSRCP chief Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy's protest in Delhi against alleged political violence in Andhra Pradesh drew support from unlikely quarters Wednesday, with several INDIA bloc members and AIADMK leaders expressing solidarity.

The Telugu Desam Party (TDP), which is in power in the state and a constituent of the NDA government at the Centre, dismissed the YSR Congress Party's allegations as "fake drama".

Reddy's protest at the Jantar Mantar area here is against what he dubbed as a "worsening law-and-order situation" in Andhra Pradesh following the recent elections.

Samajwadi Party (SP) supremo Akhilesh Yadav, Shiv Sena (UBT) leaders Sanjay Raut and Priyanka Chaturvedi, the TMC's Nadimul Haq, and the AIADMK's M Thambidurai were among those who condemned the alleged attacks on YSRCP workers in Andhra Pradesh.

14:32: ‘Govt on crutches, Andhra and Bihar supporting it,’ says Congress MP

Speaking to ANI on INDIA bloc protest against Union Budget, Congress MP Jebi Mather said, "...We cannot even call it a budget. What was presented yesterday was a MoU between PM Modi and the CM of Andhra Pradesh and Bihar. The budget was presented to the two states. When this government is on crutches, these two states are supporting it. It is a total attack on the federal structure of the Constitution. That's why the entire INDIA alliance protested in one voice..."

14.15: 'Kursi Bachao budget' punished middle-class, farmers and workers: Congress' Manickam Tagore

Speaking to ANI on the INDIA bloc protest against Union Budget 2024 in Parliament, Congress leader Manickam Tagore said, "This budget is discriminatory. We all know that it is a 'Kursi Bachao Budget'. This budget has only thought about how to save this government. It has just punished middle-class people, farmers and workers." 

14.00 Rahul Gandhi meets farmer leader, says ‘will talk to the other leader of INDIA alliance to put…’

After meeting farmer leaders, LoP in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi says "In our manifesto, we have mentioned MSP with a legal guarantee. We have done the assessment and it can be implemented. We had a meeting right now where were decided that we will talk to the other leader of the INDIA alliance to put pressure on the Govt that MSP legal guarantee should be given to the farmers of the country."

13.30: 12-member farmer leaders delegation meet Rahul Gandhi in Parliament after LoP alleged entry denial

A delegation of 12 farmer leaders under the aegis of Kisan Mazdoor Morcha and Samyukt Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) from across the country meet the Leader of Opposition Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi in Parliament today, as reported by news agency ANI. Congress MPs KC Venugopal, Amarinder Singh Raja Warring, Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa, Gurjeet Singh Aujla, Dharamvir Gandhi, Dr Amar Singh, Deepender Singh Hooda and Jai Prakash were also present in the meeting.

13.00: Sanjay Raut joins Jagan Mohan Reddy at YSRCP Protest in Delhi

Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut joins Former Andhra Pradesh CM and YSRCP President Jagan Mohan Reddy at YSRCP's protest against Andhra Pradesh govt at Jantar Mantar in Delhi. Earlier in the day, Former Andhra Pradesh CM YS Jagan Mohan Reddy said, “Within 45 days of the Govt coming into power, you have a situation where more than 30 people are murdered and assaults are taking place which led to attempts of murder and several properties vandalised…”

12.45: 12-member farmer leaders to meet Rahul Gandhi in Parliament House

Farmer leaders invited by Congress MP & LoP Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi to meet him in Parliament now allowed inside, to meet him in LoP office in the premises

12.15 pm: Nirmala Sitharaman defends Budget amid oppn's protest over state allocations

FM Nirmala Sitharaman in Rajya Sabha says,”…In every Budget, you don’t get an opportunity to name every state of this country...The Cabinet had taken a decision to set up a port on Vadavan. But Maharashtra’s name was not taken in the Budget yesterday. Does this mean that Maharashtra feels ignored? If a particular state is named in the speech, does it mean that programs of GOI don't go to these states? This is a deliberate attempt of the Opposition led by Congress to give the impression to people that nothing has been given to our states. This is an outrageous allegation...”

12.10 pm: ‘Modi government is focussed only on saving BJP government’, says Congress MP Randeep Singh Surjewala

Congress MP Randeep Singh Surjewala says, "... This is a 'kursi bachao budget', 'satta bachao budget', 'badla lo budget'. More than 90% people of the country have been isolated with this budget... Modi government is focussed only on saving the BJP government."

12.02 pm: Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, Jaya Bachchan join protest

12.00: ‘Maharashtra is highest tax paying state, yet…’, says Sena UBT leader Priyanka Chaturvedi

On leaders of the INDIA bloc protesting against Union Budget 2024, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Priyanka Chaturvedi says, "This protest is against the discrimination in the budget. All the opposition-ruled states have been ignored... We witnessed 'PM Maharashtra Virodhi Yojana' in the Budget yesterday. Maharashtra is the highest tax paying state, yet we don't get our share in return..."

11.53 am: ‘Very little for most states’, says Shashi Tharoor

Congress MP Shashi Tharoor says "There is very little for most states. There were a few expectations for Kerala, especially in the health sector, but all of them have not been fulfilled. Each state has its own issue to point to..."

11.50 am: Akhilesh Yadav on Budget 2024

Samajwadi Party MP Akhilesh Yadav says "We all were demanding that farmers should get MSP but the support price is given to the alliance partners who are saving their govt, rather than the farmers...The government could not take any concrete step regarding inflation. Uttar Pradesh did not get anything. UP should have got a double benefit from the double-engine government. I think the people of Lucknow have angered the people of Delhi. Its result is visible in the budget. So what is the benefit of the double engine?..."

11.44 am: ‘It is injustice…’ Says Cong President Mallikarjun Kharge

Leaders of INDIA parties protest against Union Budget 2024, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge said, "It is injustice...We will protest..."