West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee Launches Scathing Attack on Union Budget 2026
Ahead of the crucial Bengal Assembly elections, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has launched a fierce critique of the Union Budget 2026-27 presented by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman. Speaking to media persons while en route to Delhi, Banerjee labeled the budget as "directionless, visionless, missionless, and actionless", delivering a blistering assessment that has intensified political tensions.
Allegations of Anti-People Policies and Economic Derailment
In her sharp remarks, the Chief Minister accused the budget of being fundamentally anti-people, specifically targeting vulnerable sections of society. "It is an anti-women, anti-poor, anti-farmer, anti-youth, anti-SC, anti-ST, and anti-OBC budget", she stated emphatically. Banerjee highlighted concerning declines in key areas, noting that allocations for education, social security, and fertiliser subsidies have seen reductions. She went further to declare, "It is totally garbage. The economy is derailed", expressing grave concerns about the nation's financial trajectory.
Claims of Financial Neglect Towards West Bengal
With state elections looming, Banerjee made a significant allegation that no financial allocation has been made for West Bengal in the Union Budget. She argued that the Central Government is collecting substantial revenue from the state through GST but failing to return adequate funds. "They have not given a single paisa to Bengal; only one tax is there, GST. They are taking our money and saying they are giving us money. It is our money", she asserted. According to her calculations, West Bengal is owed more than Rs 2 lakh crore, leading her to question the moral authority of the central administration.
Criticism of Central Government's Approach and Pending Projects
Banerjee accused the Centre of engaging in rhetorical excess without substantive action, stating, "Only talking too much and less work. They only use jugglery of words". She also addressed specific infrastructure claims, challenging announcements about freight corridors. The Chief Minister pointed out that such projects have been pending for 15 years and that her government had already proposed similar corridors back in 2009. She detailed six state-initiated corridors covering routes like Dankuni to Bardhaman and Purulia to Durgapur, dismissing central announcements as "absolutely garbage; it's a blatant lie".
Highlighting Bengal's Economic Initiatives and Market Reaction
Contrasting the central budget with state-led progress, Banerjee highlighted West Bengal's economic initiatives. She mentioned the Jungle Sundari Project in Purulia and significant investments in the state's industrial hubs. "Bengal is now a cement hub, a coal hub, a leather hub, and a skill hub", she proclaimed, noting the presence of major companies like Amazon and Flipkart in regions such as Dankuni and Kalyani. Additionally, she commented on the stock market's negative response to the budget, referencing a sharp decline in Sensex and Nifty with a Bengali proverb about hypocrisy.
The Chief Minister is scheduled to meet with the Chief Election Commissioner, underscoring the political context of her statements as Bengal prepares for electoral battles.
