Last Updated on 23/07/2024 by wccexam Desk
Ruckus over budget in Bihar politics.
India vs NDA: The ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) in Bihar on Tuesday claimed that the Centre has “opened the coffers” for the state by announcing “unprecedented” aid in the Union Budget, which will “set the agenda” for next year’s assembly elections. The opposition, however, feels that despite Chief Minister Nitish Kumar being a key alliance partner of the ruling NDA at the Centre, Bihar has been ill-treated by the Central government and declared that it “will not budge an inch” from its demand for special category status.
Bihar minister expressed gratitude to PM Modi
State Parliamentary Affairs Minister Vijay Kumar Chaudhary said in the Assembly that unprecedented help has been announced for Bihar in Delhi today. He claimed, ‘The people of the state are overwhelmed by the provisions made in the budget, for which we thank Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman.’ The MLAs of RJD, Congress and Left parties walked out of the House in protest against not being given special status.
Opposition parties created ruckus in the assembly
The proceedings of the House had to be repeatedly adjourned as MLAs of RJD, Congress and Left parties created ruckus and raised slogans on this issue before the lunch break. Vijay Chaudhary also said, ‘These people (opposition) should remember that the demand for special status was rejected even when they were part of the ruling coalition at the Center… Their behavior is due to their concern.’
How much impact will it have on the upcoming assembly elections?
The minister said, ‘Today the agenda has been set for the elections (Bihar assembly elections) to be held next year. The people of Bihar are angry with the opposition and are hoping for a bright future under the leadership of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar.’ The members of the ruling party, including the Chief Minister, present in the House, supported his words by thumping their tables. Leader of Opposition in Bihar Assembly Tejashwi Yadav alleged in a statement, ‘Today’s budget has again disappointed the people of Bihar. A ‘revival plan’ was needed to take Bihar on the path of progress and for which a special package with the status of a special state is urgently needed.’ He was absent in the House then.
Some are happy and some are sad about Budget 2024
The RJD leader said, ‘We will not step back even an inch from our demand for special state status to stop migration, remove backwardness of the state and for better future of youth along with industries.’ However, Deputy Chief Minister and State BJP President Samrat Chaudhary said that the Center has ‘opened the treasury’ for Bihar in the budget. State Finance Minister Chaudhary told reporters, ‘This is a historic budget, for which Prime Minister Modi deserves congratulations. Expressways, new power plants and medical colleges will be built in the state. Every aspect including flood control and development of tourism has been taken care of.’
‘The Centre has betrayed Bihar’
Senior JD(U) leader and rural development minister Shravan Kumar said it was an excellent budget that would help the NDA achieve its target ahead of the assembly elections next year. However, CPI(ML) Liberation MLA Sandip Saurav said the Centre had betrayed Bihar as the state needed nothing less than special category status for its overall development.
He said a one-time financial aid, that too a very small one, would not serve the purpose. “The people of Bihar know that the NDA government is not interested in the welfare of the state… They will teach a lesson to the BJP and its allies in the assembly elections. The NDA will face a humiliating defeat in 2025,” he claimed.