Akhilesh Yadav Launches Scathing Attack on NDA Government in Lok Sabha Budget Debate
Participating in the Union Budget discussion in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday, Samajwadi Party national president Akhilesh Yadav delivered a forceful critique of the BJP-led NDA government. The former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister accused the administration of "compromising the interests of the farmer community" through trade agreements with the United States and failing to provide any substantial relief to the PDA community in the recently presented Budget.
PDA Community Overlooked in Visionless Budget
The SP leader highlighted that the political acronym PDA—representing Pichhde, Dalits, and Alpsankhyak—which proved electorally successful in the 2024 elections, has been completely neglected. "PDA has been ignored in a Union Budget that lacks the vision to guide India toward becoming a developed nation by 2047, as the Centre claims," Yadav asserted. He emphasized the government's failure to address the concerns of backward classes, Dalits, minorities, women, marginalized communities, and youth, despite making grand claims about development and global partnerships.
Farmers' Future Threatened by US Trade Deal
Referring specifically to the US trade agreement, the Kannauj MP expressed deep concern for agricultural livelihoods. "The BJP promised to double farmers' incomes, but today we must ask what will happen to them under this US deal. If everything is imported from abroad, what will our farmers grow in our own country?" he questioned. Yadav also challenged the government's claims of building agricultural infrastructure like Mandis, pointing out that previous promises, such as formulating a Minimum Support Price law after withdrawing the controversial farm laws, remain unfulfilled.
He further demanded that if the Centre boasts progress in horticulture and dairy farming, it must announce MSP guarantees for these sectors as well.
Soaring Prices and Inadequate Healthcare Funding
Akhilesh Yadav drew attention to the "unprecedented price rise" affecting ordinary citizens. He nostalgically recalled a time when even the poorest Indian could gift a gold trinket for a daughter's wedding, contrasting it with the current reality where rising gold and silver prices might soon make even brass-plated iron trinkets unaffordable.
On healthcare, he noted the sharp increase in life insurance premiums as evidence of broader inflation, while criticizing the budgetary allocation: "The government has allocated Rs 5,600 crore for AIIMS Delhi alone, but only Rs 4,700 crore for the Ayushman Bharat scheme covering the entire country."
Demolitions in Varanasi and Missing Heritage
The SP chief also addressed recent demolitions at Manikarnika Ghat in Varanasi, highlighting the use of a bulldozer to demolish a statue of Ahilyabai Holkar in Prime Minister Narendra Modi's parliamentary constituency. "If we count, not one or two, but as many as 100 temples have been demolished by this government in Varanasi. To make matters worse, an antique bell gifted by the Nepal Naresh to Varanasi is now missing," he revealed, underscoring concerns over cultural heritage preservation.
