"Budget to save government, not people": Congress' Kuldeep Singh Rathore

Shimla (Himachal Pradesh) [India], February 1 : Congress MLA from Himachal Pradesh, Kuldeep Singh Rathore, sharply criticised the Union Budget 2025, calling it a budget that "abandons the common man".
Addressing a press conference in Shimla, Rathore remarked that the budget has failed to meet the expectations set by the government's pre-budget claims.
"I believe that the claims made before the budget presentation have completely collapsed the moment the last word of the budget was read. Even the stock market reflects this disappointment, with the Sensex falling by 250 points. This clearly shows that investors, too, have no enthusiasm for this budget," Rathore stated.
He further alleged that the budget is nothing more than an attempt to "save a struggling government that is running on crutches."
According to Rathore, the budget is primarily focused on Bihar elections, ignoring the needs of 28 other states in the country. He added that Himachal Pradesh is ignored in the Budget.
The Congress leader expressed deep dissatisfaction over the budget's lack of support for Himachal Pradesh, a small mountainous state that has been reeling from the impact of natural disasters.
"Himachal Pradesh has suffered losses worth Rs 10,000 crore due to natural calamities. Yet, there is no mention of any relief for the state in this budget. Himachal has limited revenue resources, and we are still struggling to recover from the devastation, but the central government has ignored our plight," Rathore added.
He also criticised the 'absence' of provisions for tourism and railway network expansion in Himachal Pradesh, despite their importance to the state's economy. Moreover, Rathore expressed disappointment over the government's failure to increase import duties on apples, a demand crucial for Himachali apple growers facing stiff competition from cheaper imported apples.
"It is shocking that despite Himachal Pradesh having eight BJP MPs for the first time, none of them raised their voice for the state. Even BJP National President and Union Minister J P Nadda, as well as former Union Minister Anurag Thakur, could not ensure that Himachal's issues were addressed in the budget. Either they failed to put forth their demands, or their demands were outright ignored," he added.
Rathore pointed out that the budget has nothing to offer to farmers or unemployed youth.
"There is no concrete decision in this budget regarding farmers. The government has not shown any concern for unemployment either, there is no mention of creating new job opportunities. Overall, this is a directionless budget," he said.
Although the budget does provide some relief in tax slabs, Rathore argued that it comes with "several conditions that diminish its benefit for the common taxpayer".