INDIA Bloc Gives Thumbs Down to Budget 2025: Opposition Slams Lack of Structural Reforms
New Delhi, Feb 01, 2025 — The Opposition’s INDIA bloc, comprising the Congress, Trinamool Congress, and other critics, leveled harsh criticisms against Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman’s Budget 2025 during the Parliament session on January 31, calling it a missed opportunity to tackle India’s deep-rooted economic challenges.
Critique of Economic “Illnesses”
Key Opposition leaders argued that the budget failed to address a series of structural issues, including stagnant real wages, sluggish private investment, tepid mass consumption, and a convoluted Goods and Services Tax (GST) system that continues to stifle economic growth. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi described the budget as “a band-aid for bullet wounds,” urging that a radical paradigm shift was necessary to truly resolve the nation’s economic crisis.
“A band-aid for bullet wounds! Amid global uncertainty, solving our economic crisis demanded a paradigm shift,” Gandhi tweeted, encapsulating the Opposition’s overall sentiment.
Jairam Ramesh, Congress general secretary in-charge of communications, added that while the budget offered relief for income tax payers—particularly through the promise of no tax on incomes up to ₹12 lakh—the measures did little to stimulate the broader economy. Ramesh lamented, “The economy is suffering from four related crises—stagnant real wages, lack of buoyancy in mass consumption, sluggish rates of private investment, and a complex GST system. The Budget does nothing to address these illnesses.”
Regional Disparities and Neglected States
The Opposition also took aim at the regional biases in the budget allocation. Congress members questioned why states like Bihar appeared to be favored with several announcements and financial packages, while regions such as Andhra Pradesh and West Bengal were seemingly overlooked. Trinamool Congress leader Abhishek Banerjee specifically condemned the budget for “nothing” being allocated for West Bengal, accusing BJP MPs from the state of failing to champion local development.
“There has been nothing for Bengal in the Union Budget. Our MPs have repeatedly demanded increased funds and new projects for the state, but under the current government, West Bengal remains deprived,” Banerjee asserted in his post-budget remarks.
Opposition’s Call for Clarity and Follow-Up
Prominent voices in the Opposition stressed that while the Finance Minister highlighted four engines of development—agriculture, MSMEs, investments, and exports—the budget’s proposals remained vague and reminiscent of previous fiscal plans whose promised benefits had yet to materialize. Karti Chidambaram, raising concerns about the actual impact of the new proposals, noted that the devil was in the details, urging a closer examination of the progress of initiatives announced in prior budgets.
“Look at the details before we can really give an intelligent comment about the budget. Some grand schemes were announced in the previous budget as well. So what is the status of them?” Chidambaram questioned.
AAP and BSP Join the Chorus
The discontent was not limited to Congress and the Trinamool Congress. Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MP Sanjay Singh expressed disappointment over the lack of relief for small traders, who, despite earning up to ₹12 lakh, received no significant tax concessions. Singh recalled a proposal by AAP national convenor Arvind Kejriwal, which had suggested recovering the ₹16 lakh crore loan waived for industrialists in exchange for halving GST and income tax rates—a proposal that was ultimately ignored.
Similarly, Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) leader Mayawati criticized the budget on social media, asserting in Hindi that the fiscal plan was more about political maneuvering than addressing the dire needs of the people. She highlighted the ongoing struggles with inflation, poverty, unemployment, and inadequate basic amenities, urging that the dream of a “Viksit Bharat” must benefit all sections of society, including the Bahujans.
Prime Minister Modi’s Address and the Government’s Stand
Against the backdrop of these critiques, Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s address on the first day of the Budget session emphasized the government’s focus on boosting consumption and ensuring economic growth through the proposed income tax cuts and other measures. However, the Opposition’s INDIA bloc contends that such measures only offer short-term relief and fail to confront the deeper, systemic issues affecting India’s economic health.
As the nation digests the Budget 2025, the Opposition’s resounding “thumbs down” reflects growing disillusionment among several political factions over the government’s fiscal priorities. With elections on the horizon and public sentiment increasingly influenced by the tangible outcomes of these policies, the coming months will be critical for assessing whether the budget’s promises translate into real, long-term benefits for the country.
While the government touts the new tax cuts as a boon for middle-class taxpayers, critics remain skeptical, warning that without substantial structural reforms, the budget risks being yet another exercise in political symbolism rather than a catalyst for genuine economic transformation.