Exclusive | Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman Rebuts Opposition's 'Kursi Bachao' Budget Claims

In an exclusive interview with Anjana Om Kashyap and Sweta Singh from India Today, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman addressed the opposition's accusations against her budget, calling it a 'Kursi Bachao' (save the chair) budget aimed at pleasing leaders like Nitish Kumar and N. Chandrababu Naidu, and alleging it was a cut-paste job from the Congress manifesto. She explained that significant groundwork was laid during the vote-on-account, which covered the first four months of the fiscal year, and the current budget continues these themes for the remaining eight months. This budget sets the direction for the next five years of Amrit Kaal, focusing on development and addressing issues related to women, the poor, farmers, and youth. Sitharaman dismissed the cut-paste allegations, emphasizing that the budget outlines a clear path towards a developed India by 2047. She criticized the opposition for their theatrics, asserting that their claims lack merit. Highlighting allocations like ₹58,000 crore for Bihar and ₹15,000 crore for Andhra Pradesh, she defended the government's support for state development. Sitharaman urged the opposition to engage in constructive criticism rather than misleading the public, emphasizing the need for responsible parliamentary conduct.