During the budget discussion in the Lok Sabha, West Bengal's ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP Abhishek Banerjee made a fervent critique of the government. In a riveting address, he drew parallels from the tale of Sita's abduction and referenced the film Three Idiots and its character Virus, targeting the Bharatiya Janata Party and the National Democratic Alliance (NDA). He presented developmental statistics of West Bengal over the past decade, asserting that the state can progress without the central government's assistance.
Abhishek Banerjee accused the government of being built on half-truths, half-accountability, half-promises, half-responses, and half-federalism. He likened it to the tale of Sita being deceived by the golden deer, leading to her abduction. Similarly, by the time people recognize the deception behind the glittering façade, the economy has been handed over to cronies of capitalism. He lamented that the public is being misled and distanced from financial stability.
Banerjee criticized the NDA government by citing the pre-election promises like the Ladki Bahin Yojana in Maharashtra, and the pledge of free gas cylinders and MSP guarantees. Yet, as he pointed out, in reality, 12 million families could not even refill their gas cylinders once in a year. He accused the administration of operating in a reverse Robin Hood manner, taking from the poor to give to the wealthy, with corporate tax cuts not resulting in economic justice.
Labeling it as a half-federalism regime, Banerjee referenced budget allocations where BJP's sway in Bihar yielded benefits that West Bengal did not see, despite having the same number of MPs. He denounced the budget as anti-Bengal.
Banerjee emphasized pending dues like the 7000 crore for the MGNREGA scheme, and the 8140 crore pending for rural housing under the Prime Minister's Awas Yojana, while highlighting the state government’s efforts under schemes like Karmasathi and Bangla Bari.
Criticizing the abolishment of the railway budget, he coined the term 'half minister government.' He noted the government's half-hearted answers on their five trillion economy aspirations and the delivery of their promises on inflation, savings decline, and job security. Mentioning schemes like Beti Bachao and Jan Dhan, he pointed out the timelines promised by the government had lapsed, and now, in 2025, fulfillment remains elusive.
Highlighting the deficiencies in the Prime Minister's Fasal Bima Yojana, Banerjee argued that it's more beneficial to insurance companies than farmers. In a reference to Three Idiots, he remarked on how the budget overlooks grassroots issues, discussing tax layers citizens are burdened with, emphasizing the truth that people can see.
