Rahul Gandhi slams Union Budget 2025, says target only to benefit "20-25 people"

He also brushed off the benefits of income tax exemption up to Rs 12 lakh, the biggest announcement of the budget.

"The budget was presented today, the target of the budget was to benefit 25 people. They will give you a little, they will waive a little tax but if you see the target of the budget, is to provide India's money to 20-25 billionaires. In India, 50 per cent are backward class, 15 per cent are Dalits, 8 per cent are tribals, 15 per cent are minorities and suppose, 5 per cent are from poor, general-class people," he said at a public meeting in Delhi's Sadar Bazar.

The Lok Sabha LoP also highlighted the "inadequate representation" of underprivileged sections of society in various institutions across the country.

"Look at the owners of private hospitals, colleges and universities, big companies, take out the list of big judges and show me who are from the backward class, who are Dalits, who are tribals, minorities, how many are from the poor general class, they are the elected people, they are their friends," he said. Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman presented the Union Budget 2025 in the Lok Sabha outlining a roadmap for India's continued economic expansion, emphasizing agriculture, micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs), investment, and exports.

Nirmala Sitharaman, during her Union Budget 2025 speech, announced that no income tax will be payable on income up to Rs 12 lakh, providing significant relief to taxpayers, especially the middle class.

"To taxpayers up to Rs 12 lakh of normal income (other than special rate income such as capital gains) tax rebate is being provided in addition to the benefit due to slab rate reduction in such a manner that there is no tax payable by them," said Sitharaman.

The announcement from the Finance Minister of this big relief to the middle class was met by a loud thumping of the desks by the treasury benches led by PM Narendra Modi. (ANI)