Attacking the Modi government for
pursuing "regressive" policies, Left parties today said the general budget was "full of hollow promises, pro-corporate" and one burdening commoners and ignoring farmers' interests.
The parties said that in view of world economic crisis, the NDA Government was expected to enhance domestic demand through the budget.
However, Centre though, has chosen to continue with "same regressive policies which would aggravate" inequality, unemployment and contract exports.
The communist parties claimed the budget would further deepen agrarian distress in the country and result in collapse of industrial production, slowdown in construction activities and other services.
"As with the previous two budgets, this budget of the Modi government is again full of hollow promises and slogans. The numbers just don't add up.
"FM says Budget is about fulfilling 'desires & dreams' but it has no vision. The dead certainty from it is of a shrinking economy," CPI-M general secretary Sitaram Yechury said in a series of tweets.
The Rajya Sabha member said schemes announced/supported by Finance Minister Arun Jaitley in the budget were the ones opposed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi before elections and added increasing cess will hurt common man.
"Increasing cess hurts the common man, with indirect tax collections proposed to be up by 20,600 cr. Direct tax proposals are down by 1060 cr. This means more burden on common people as indirect taxes are inflationary. So there will be no expansion in domestic demand," he stated.
CPI national secretary D Raja echoed similar views and said the financial plan is "in tune with" the NDA Government's alleged economic philosophy of supporting corporate sector and foreign investors.
"Because there is a grim situation in agrarian sector, farmers are committing suicide and the Government has done nothing. He (Jaitley) tried to give an impression that they are giving priority to agriculture and rural development.
"But actually speaking, he has reduced subsidy on fertilizers and other things. And small and marginal farmers are not going to benefit and nothing for agricultural workers," Raja said.
The Parliamentarian claimed Jaitley did not keep his promise of allocating more funds for the employment guarantee scheme MGNREGA, while corporate houses are being offered tax concessions.
"There will be attacks on workers' rights," he said.
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Raja termed as "dangerous signals" government's alleged attempts of liquidating public sector banks and "almost turning them into private ones" in the name of finance sector reforms.
In its statement, the CPI(M) said the budget is "distorted without any vision and a blatant attack on the poor and oppressed."
"This is a budget to appease the rich accentuating the problems of unemployment and rising inequality," it said.
The CPI (M-L) said the financial plan does not address burning issues faced by common people and Indian economy.
"The budget does not even mention Food Security Act which is yet to be implemented in full. The only reference to public distribution system is made in the form of proposed 'automation' of three lakh fair price shops," it noted in a statement.
The party appealed people to pressurise Government to provide for "immediate" full implementation of Food Security Act, expansion of MNREGA, availability of greater quantities of easier and cheaper credit for farmers and for people engaged in various livelihood-related projects and small enterprises and increased allocation on health and education fronts.
