Akhilesh calls UP budget 'second last' of Yogi govt, says no link with BJP manifesto

Lucknow, Feb 20 (PTI) Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav on Thursday dismissed the Uttar Pradesh budget presented by the Yogi Adityanath-led government, calling it the "second last budget" of the BJP in the state.

Criticising the government's approach, Yadav claimed that none of its budgets, including the latest one, had a clear vision or direction for Uttar Pradesh.

"This is the ninth budget of this government, and it is their second last," the SP chief said.

After this, the final budget will be presented, and then the people will get a chance to choose a new government, he said, adding that the budget has no connection with the promises made in the BJP's manifesto.

"The government has presented budgets without any roadmap on how to take the state forward. There is no clarity on how the needs of the common people will be addressed," he stated.

He also took a dig at the BJP's repeated claims of presenting the "biggest budget", saying that every new budget is naturally larger than the previous one.

"Every time they present a budget, they say it's the biggest one. This statement can be made by any government because every budget is bound to be bigger than the last," he remarked.

Yadav described the budget as hollow, claiming it was all noise with nothing substantial inside.

"This is not a budget, it's an empty drum that makes a lot of noise but has nothing inside. The people feel like no real budget has been presented, just sermons, while they keep wondering when the actual budget will come," he said.

The former UP chief minister further alleged that the budget has left different sections of society disappointed.

"Farmers' hopes have dried up, women are even more worried about managing household expenses, the unemployed see nothing but darkness ahead, and traders are feeling the deepening impact of economic slowdown. Even BJP ministers and MLAs who were thumping desks in the Assembly are now anxious because they will have to face the anger of people in their constituencies over inflation and unemployment," he said.

Taking a swipe at the government's treatment of artisans, the Lok Sabha MP from Kannauj said, "The weavers' looms have fallen silent. The people are now asking how much budget has been allocated for the 'Jumla Ministry'." He also took potshots at Adityanath's speech in the Assembly, noting that while the BJP opposed Urdu, the CM himself used several Urdu words in his address.

"Some people even oppose Urdu in Urdu itself," he quipped.

Listing several words used by the CM, including 'badnaam,' 'bakhsha,' 'gunehgar,' 'haseen,' and 'duniya,' he asked whether these were not Urdu words and extended his argument by questioning the Hindi equivalents of words like 'rail,' 'engine,' 'steering,' 'clutch,' and 'platform.' Referring to a book on the Kumbh Mela study by Harvard University, Yadav said he had previously sent an English version of the book to Adityanath for decoration purposes and was now sending a Hindi version so that he could actually read it.

On the BJP's election promises, the SP chief alleged that the government had failed to deliver on its commitments.

"The BJP manifesto promised free electricity for farmers' irrigation needs over the next five years. Nine budgets have passed, but has this promise been fulfilled? They also pledged to set up a Rs 25,000 crore agro-infrastructure mission in the name of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, but what happened to that?" Yadav asked.

They announced a Rs 1,000 crore Bhama Shah Price Stabilization Fund for crops like potatoes, tomatoes, and onions, yet nothing has materialised, he said.

Yadav accused the BJP of failing to support farmers despite promising Minimum Support Price (MSP) guarantees.

"They promised to provide MSP to farmers, but where is it? We had built mandis to ensure fair prices for farmers, and this government has destroyed them. Not a single new mandi has been built under the BJP rule," he claimed.

He further pointed out that the BJP had assured sugarcane farmers that their dues would be paid within 14 days, failing which they would receive interest.

"The government only talks about the amount it has paid so far, but never discloses the outstanding dues. It also never tells farmers how much the price of sugarcane has increased," he said.

Yadav said that the BJP's budget had left people disillusioned.

"After nine budgets, the government still has no answers for the unemployed, struggling farmers, or common citizens. The countdown for a new government has begun," he said. PTI SLM/KIS NB NB

Source: PTI