Political reactions to the Union Budget 2012

While the Congress has come up strongly behind Pranab Mukherjee latest budget, most political parties across the country have been hugely critical of the present budget. Here is how they have reacted:

Congress
Congress welcomed the budget and lauded Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee for giving some concessions despite tough economic condition across the world. They further commented that the budget was made in the interest of the nation's growth.
"It is a good budget," AICC general secretary Rahul Gandhi told reporters outside Parliament.

Congress spokesperson Manish Tiwari said the finance minister has presented a "good budget" and given some concessions even in tough economic conditions.

"My first reaction is that in tough international economic conditions, the finance minister has presented a very balanced and serious budget," he said.

BJP
The BJP has slammed the budget, calling it anti-common man and has said they will protest outside the parliament against the budget.

BJP spokesman Shahnawaz Hussain says Union Budget does not provide any relief to the common man. It betrays the trust of the common man.

Vice president Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said, "The budget will lead to further rise in prices that will hit the common man," as the "failed economic formula of Pranab Mukherjee has been presented in a new frame".

"Dada's budget presented amidst revolt from Didi, will herald the farewell of the UPA Government," he said, adding that "instead of leading the nation on the path of reform, it will lead it to indebtedness".

"This budget will hit the common man with price rise from ground to air," he said

BSP
The Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) Friday criticised the union budget for 2012-13, saying it was "below mediocre" and failed to benefit the common man.

"The budget was disappointing as it is not going to benefit the common man. It is below mediocre," BSP member in the Lok Sabha Vijay Bahadur Singh.

Singh accused the government of preparing the budget out of fear as the Congress has done miserably in the recently concluded assembly polls.

"It does not fulfil the expectations of farmers and will not help in bringing prices under control. Adequate attention has not been paid to boost agricultural production and manufacturing."

TMC
"Tolerable", Trinamool MP Derek O' Brien said in a terse one word response to the budget Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee presented in the Lok Sabha.

The party, a key ally of the United Progressive Alliance, had asked for a rollback of the passenger fare hike in the rail budget.

AIADMK

Jayalalitha has strongly criticised the budget saying it “only demonstrates the continued policy paralysis gripping the Union Government. The Budget does not provide any tangible solutions to the problems crippling the Indian Economy.”

She slammed Income Tax slabs fixed in the budget saying, “The minor concessions in the higher slabs of income are negligible. The relief announced hardly compensates for the run-away inflation the country has been witnessing in the last few years. The small concessions do not really help even the middle class whose purchasing power has been eroded considerably.”

She was also critical of the fact that the budget had nothing concrete about battling black money and corruption. “The Finance Minister has merely stated that a White Paper on Black Money will be placed in the current session of Parliament and has listed various Bills which are at various stages. The announcement of certain measures like compulsory declaration of assets abroad and double taxation avoidance agreements with some foreign Governments will hardly help in either checking the generation of black money or bringing it back,” she said.

Others
The Left have also slammed the budget. CPI leader Gurudas Dasgupta says “It is a purposeless and clerical budget” while CPI(M) leader Sitaram Yechury said the budget would increase the financial burden on common man.

"This budget is an anti-common man budget. First, the decision to execute cut in interest rates on EPF deposits will affect crores of employees. Secondly, the indication to slash petroleum subsidy will open the door for further hike in the price of petrol, diesel and other allied products,” said, Panchanan Kanoongo, Former Odisha Finance Minister.

"This is a disappointing budget as it offers nothing for women who are half the population. Duty hike on bicycles will affect the poor," said Harsimrat Kaur of the Shiromani Akali Dal