New Delhi [India], February 10 (ANI): Rajya Sabha took up debate on Union Budget on Monday because the stalemate continued within the Lok Sabha over Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi’s intention to discuss a reference in former Army Chief NN Naravane’s ‘unpublished e book’ and the opposition members and the treasury benches buying and selling costs.
Initiating the talk on Union Budget within the Rajya Sabha, Congress chief P Chidambaram on Monday slammed the federal government over the Union Budget 2026, saying it’s ‘parsimonious, forgetful of the previous 12 months’ and can vanish from reminiscence of individuals.
He stated that in price range dialogue, each topic, each ministry, each division for whom cash is allotted and an appropriation is sought may be mentioned.
Chidambaram stated lots of people placed on a number of work and do a number of analysis and evaluation to arrange the Economic Survey.
‘I wonder if the federal government and its key ministers learn the financial survey. The most charitable view is that they do not take care of the Chief Economic Adviser. The uncharitable view is that whereas the Chief Economic Adviser is bringing the federal government right down to earth, what is occurring across the nation, I feel the federal government and the ministers wish to soar excessive and attain one other planet, as if we aren’t residing on earth,’ he stated.
The former Finance Minister stated there are a variety of challenges listed within the Economic Survey.
‘I’ll take up solely 4 challenges: Capital Investment. For some years now, for nearly 12 years, capital funding gross fastened capital formation is caught at 30% of GDP. Net FDI in 2024-25 has collapsed to lower than 0.09%. FPIs, international portfolio traders are pulling out. Private funding, though firms are money wealthy, is caught at 22% of GDP. In this example the place neither the general public sector nor the personal sector nor the international investor is investing in India, this authorities has minimize capital expenditure,’ he stated.
Referring to unemployment, he stated the youth unemployment is 15%, lower than 25% of the workforce is in common employment. He stated there are extra staff are within the agriculture sector than they had been 4 or 5 years in the past.
‘Only in a rustic with 144 crore folks, just one 195 lakh, that’s lower than 2 crore, are employed in a manufacturing facility. Manufacturing, which is basically factories, is caught at 16% for a lot of, a few years. I’ll offer you an instance. The PM internship scheme was touted final 12 months. The Finance Minister made that assertion. Corporate homes had been persuaded to supply internship.’ He stated of 1.65 lakh presents that got here, solely thirty-three thousand had been accepted.
‘Are they no younger women and men to just accept an internship in huge firms? Of the thirty-three thousand who accepted, six thousand left the job. So, what’s mistaken with the internship scheme? She touted it final 12 months. She should clarify why the scheme is completely failed this 12 months,’ he stated.
Chidambaram stated the federal government’s ‘Reform Express is caught’.
‘Look on the nominal progress fee. The nominal progress fee in 2023-24 was 12%. In 24-25, it got here right down to 9.8%. In 25-26, the 12 months which can finish in a month, it is come down to eight%. Where is the reform categorical gathering momentum? You consult with the true GDP progress, actual GDP progress. But Dr. Surjit Bhalla, one in every of your strongest supporters, has mocked the true GDP progress. That’s as a result of your CPI inflation is half a per cent, your wholesale inflation is unfavourable, your deflator is just 0.5. With these numbers, you may at all times make a GDP progress. But the nominal progress has come down from 12% in 23-24 to 9.8% in 24-25 and eight% in 25-26,’ he stated.
Chidambaram stated the fiscal consolidation is sluggish.
‘The fiscal deficit in 25-26 is 4.4%. She has achieved her goal. For subsequent 12 months, it should come down solely to 4.3% and the income deficit within the present 12 months can be 1.5% and subsequent 12 months additionally it should stay at 1.5%. Now what’s the FRBM goal? FRBM goal is 3% of fiscal deficit and the income deficit, the perfect is to eradicate the income deficit, however it may be as much as 1%. At this fee, at this fee of consolidation, it should take 12 years to realize the FRBM goal,’ he stated.
He stated there was minimize in expenditure in agriculture and rural growth and Jal Jeevan Mission.
Participating within the debate, Congress chief Randeep Singh Surjewala stated the Union Budget has duped villages, farmers and marginalised sections of society.
Surjewala asserted that the Budget’s priorities and allocations are opposite to the pursuits of rural India, farmers, the poor and disadvantaged courses.
He claimed the federal government has ‘sacrificed the pursuits of farmers underneath the India-US commerce deal’.
He stated that the Budget cuts provisions and outlays for needy sections.
Surjewala described Budget 2026 as ‘politically directionless’ and ‘policy-wise bankrupt’, arguing it incorporates technical jargon with no substantive deliverables.
Lok Sabha continued to face disruptions following standoff between the federal government and opposition.
A political row erupted final week after Congress chief Rahul Gandhi sought to cite from the ‘pre-print e book’ throughout his speech in Lok Sabha on the movement of thanks on the President’s Address with the treasury benches strongly opposing his remarks. After going through a number of adjournments on the difficulty, the House final week adopted the movement of thanks by voice vote amid sloganeering by opposition benches.
Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju on Monday slammed the Congress and stated the federal government can’t conform to a scenario the place Rahul Gandhi makes accusations in Lok Sabha and a ruckus is created by which different members can’t converse.
Rijiju instructed reporters that the opposition doesn’t have the numbers for any no-confidence movement they plan to carry in opposition to the Speaker.’I had given a dedication to the Congress social gathering in entrance of the Speaker that if Congress agrees to let the House operate usually, then we’ll permit Congress and different events to talk on the best way to run the House. I can not conform to a scenario the place Rahul Gandhi speaks and makes accusations, creates a ruckus after which doesn’t let others converse. If Congress speaks, then we’ll permit different members to additionally converse,’ Rijiju stated.
He stated the federal government didn’t urge the Speaker to take motion over the conduct of opposition members.’They can carry the movement, however they do not have the numbers. They insulted the establishment of the Speaker and climbed onto the officers’ tables. We might have requested the Speaker to take motion. I’m not urging the Speaker to take any explicit motion,’ he stated on Opposition to maneuver no-confidence movement in opposition to the Speaker.
Rahul Gandhi continued his assault on the federal government over his intention to discuss a particular incident regarding 2020 standoff with China talked about in Gen Naravane’s unpublished e book and alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi did not come into the Lok Sabha ‘as a result of he was fearful of what we had been going to say’ and ‘was fearful of being handed General Naravane’s e book as a primary step’.
Talking to reporters, Rahul Gandhi rejected criticism that the opposition members might have resorted to ‘unprecedented scenario’ within the House and stated ‘there is not any query of our members attacking the Prime Minister’ and requested if anyone stated so, why the federal government has not taken motion.He additionally stated the federal government ‘is anxious’ about holding a debate on the union price range as a result of the US deal and its affect on farmers can be mentioned.
Rahul Gandhi referred to the talks with the federal government over the stalemate within the House.’The settlement is that we’ll be allowed to say these factors after which the dialogue ought to occur. So we’re fairly eager that the dialogue occurs. We need the dialogue to occur, however now allow us to see what the federal government says. My private view is that the federal government is scared to have a debate. The Prime Minister did not come into the House as a result of he was fearful of what we had been going to say. He was fearful of being handed General Naravane’s e book as a primary step,’ Rahul Gandhi alleged.
‘My guess is that the federal government is anxious about having a debate on the price range as a result of the difficulty of the US deal, the best way it was completed, what has occurred, the affect on our farmers goes to be mentioned, and the federal government does not wish to try this,’ he added.
The Congress chief additionally accused Defence Minister Rajnath Singh of deceptive the House about Gen Naravane’s memoir.
‘The story began a couple of days in the past when the difficulty of the Naravane e book got here, and the federal government did not need me to debate that in any respect. So they stalled the House. They did not let me converse. That occurred three or 4 instances. First, they stated that I can’t quote a e book. Then I stated I’m not quoting a e book, I’m quoting {a magazine}. Then they stated you can’t quote {a magazine}. Then I stated I’ll discuss it. Then they did not need me to discuss it. The Defence Minister stated, falsely, that the e book has not been printed. In reality, the e book has been printed and we have a replica of it additionally. So that’s one huge problem. Not permitting the LoP and all the opposition to talk within the president’s tackle,’ he stated.
Rahul Gandhi additionally made a veiled reference to BJP member Nishikant Dubey and stated he had made ‘very vile allegations’ in opposition to Congress leaders.
‘The second problem is that one in every of their members spoke, quoting books, a number of books, spoke very vile stuff, and nothing was stated. We don’t love the truth that they’ll say no matter they need, every time they need, and the opposition can’t. The third problem is the suspension of our members. And the ultimate problem, which we’re very disturbed about, is this concept that has been floated that members had been going to threaten the Prime Minister. There’s no query of that. The reality may be very clear. The Prime Minister was scared to return to the House, not due to the members, however due to what I used to be saying. He’s nonetheless scared as a result of he can’t face the reality,’ he stated.’There’s no query of our members attacking the Prime Minister. He ought to have the braveness to return. I additionally talked about that if any individual stated that he will assault the Prime Minister, then please do an FIR directly. Arrest that particular person. Why are you not doing that? So that is mainly what’s occurred,’ he added. (ANI)