Opposition slams Budget 2026 as hollow, directionless

Opposition parties on Sunday mounted a broad attack on the Union Budget 2026-27, calling it hollow, directionless and inattentive to economic stress, even as the government defended its choices as fiscally disciplined and evenly spread across states, including those heading to Assembly elections.

- VINAY KUMAR

In statements and social media posts issued after Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman presented the Budget in Parliament, leaders across parties said the document lacked answers to unemployment, slowing manufacturing, farm distress and rising inequality, while several chief ministers from poll-bound states accused the Centre of overlooking regional priorities.

The Congress described the Budget as "totally lack-lustre" and accused the government of refusing course correction. Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge said Budget 2026 “does not provide a single solution to India's many economic, social and political challenges, adding that it showed "no policy vision or political will".

Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi said youth unemployment, falling manufactur ing output and farmer distress had been ignored. "Investors pulling out capital. Household savings plummeting, Looming global shocks. All ignored," he said in a post.