• Source:JND
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Budget 2025 Political Reactions: Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman presented her eighth consecutive budget for the fiscal year 2025-26 on February 1, exempting yearly income up to Rs 12 lakh from income tax as part of her reformist budget. Sitharaman also laid out a plan for next-generation reforms, including increasing the FDI limit in the insurance industry, simplifying tax regulations, and lowering intermediary charges, all while giving increased budgetary assistance for welfare initiatives.

According to the fiscal consolidation plan, Sitharaman predicted that in the fiscal year 2025–2026, the fiscal deficit will drop to 4.4 percent of GDP.

However, following the announcement, reactions began to stream in from the political spectrum.

Leaders of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) praised the Finance Minister's budget speech as she wrapped it up, calling it "growth-oriented."

Commenting on the Budget, PM Modi said, "This budget is a force multiplier. This budget will increase savings, investment, consumption and growth rapidly. I congratulate Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and her entire team for this Janta Janardan's, People's budget."

Home Minister Amit Shah in an X post wrote, “The middle class is always in PM Modi’s heart. Zero Income Tax till Rs 12 Lakh Income. The proposed tax exemption will go a long way in enhancing the financial well-being of the middle class. Congratulations to all the beneficiaries on this occasion."

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh: “I congratulate the Finance Minister Mrs. Nirmala Sitharaman, who has presented a wonderful budget towards fulfilling the resolve of Prime Minister Mr. Narendra Modi. This budget will promote the development of youth, poor, farmers, women as well as all sections and regions of the society. Keeping in mind the contribution of the middle class, this budget has brought an unprecedented gift. I wholeheartedly welcome the decision to give income tax relief on annual income up to Rs 12 lakh."

Union Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia commenting on the Union Budget 2025 said, “This budget is for Viksit Bharat and the PM’s resolve to fulfil the dream of a new and energetic India. A new map has been drawn after having a proper study of every sector. It’s a composite budget that will take India forward and not only make India self-reliant but establish it as the Vishwaguru."

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BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra: “There will be no income tax payable up to an income of Rs 12 lakh. This limit will be Rs 12.75 lakh for salaried taxpayers, with a standard deduction of Rs 75,000. The new structure will substantially reduce the taxes of the middle class, boosting consumption, savings and investment," he wrote on X.

In an X post, Gadkari wrote, “A transformative blueprint for empowering farmers, the middle class, and MSMEs, paving the way for Viksit Bharat 2047. This progressive roadmap strengthens key sectors, ensuring inclusive growth through strategic investments and transformative policies."

Here's How Oppositions Reacted

Commenting on the Union Budget, Congress Leader Rahul Gandhi said, "A band-aid for bullet wounds! Amid global uncertainty, solving our economic crisis demanded a paradigm shift. But this government is bankrupt of ideas."

Speaking to the media following the budget announcements, Manish Tewari said, “I fail to understand if this a budget of the government of India or was this a budget of the government of Bihar? Have you heard the name of another state than Bihar in the entire budgetary speech of the Union Finance Minister?"

Congress MP Shashi Tharoor said, “I think frankly the applause you heard was for the middle-class tax cut. We look at the details and that may be a good thing. So if you have a salary you may be paying less tax. But the important question is what happens if we don’t have a salary? Where is the income going to come from? Unemployment was not mentioned by the Finance Minister."

Samajwadi Party MP Dimple Yadav said “Nothing new was there in the budget. Samajwadi Party demands that the government give the details of all those devotees who lost their lives in Maha Kumbh. We demand the state govt to tell the reason behind the tragedy."

Congress MP Charanjit Singh Channi said, "It was a directionless budget. There was nothing in the budget for any sector. Punjab, Haryana, Himachal, Rajasthan, UP - states of these names were even not taken... They (BJP) are selling everything to their own 'East India Company'..."

"Bihar got bonanza, Andhra cruelly ignored", Jairam Ramesh criticises NDA over Union Budget 2025.