Oppn terms tax relief a 'sugar rush', ruling side defends it as 'booster shot'

PARL DEBATES UNION BUDGET

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The Treasury and Opposition benches sparred on Monday in the Lok Sabha over the Union Budget proposals, with Opposition members arguing that it offered only a "sugar rush" in tax relief without any long-term benefits. Meanwhile, the ruling side defended it as a "booster shot" for the economy.

Participating in the ongoing debate on the Union Budget for 2025-26 in the Lok Sabha, Opposition members expressed concerns over issues such as the depreciating rupee, rising government debt, and the plight of farmers. They claimed that the budget was "election-centric" and ignored the interests of a vast majority of the population.

DMK MP Dayanidhi Maran said that preference had been given to corporates rather than the common man. He claimed that the rising prices of essential commodities were hurting the poor and middle classes.

The DMK leader also accused the Modi government of presenting successive budgets focused on poll-bound states to secure political gains. He argued that the tax relief for the middle class was like an "economic sugar rush," which was unsustainable in the long run. Calling the budgetary provisions "unjust," he said they failed to address the interests of the people.

Congress MP Manish Tewari claimed that over the past decade, government debt had soared, creating problems for future generations. He described the rising debt as an "inter-generational burden."

The Congress leader asserted that while the common man continued to struggle due to the government's economic policies, the agriculture sector was also in distress. He questioned why MNREGA workdays were increasing if the farm sector was truly prospering.

During their speeches, both Maran and Tewari questioned the absence of Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman. The Chair responded that the Minister of State for Finance was present and that the Finance Minister was in the Rajya Sabha.