‘Band-aid for bullets,’ Rahul Gandhi slams Modi govt over Budget 2025, netizens hit back, ‘kuchh to sharam kar’

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi hit back the Centre on Saturday over Budget 2025 noting that the ‘government is bankrupt of ideas’

Commenting on the Budget 2025, which was presented by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, he posted on X, “A band-aid for bullet wounds!”

“Amid global uncertainty, solving our economic crisis demanded a paradigm shift. But this government is bankrupt of ideas.”

Earlier, speaking at a rally in Delhi ahead of the assembly polls, Gandhi highlighted the absence of Dalits, tribals, backward classes, and minorities in the budget-making process.

A budget for the middle class?

FM Sitharaman made some announcement regarding income taxes noting that it would largely benefit the Indian middle class.

As per the annoucement, individuals with annual income up to ₹1.2 million rupees will effectively be exempt from paying income tax. Earlier, people earning upto ₹7 lakh could avail the benefit.

She also announced a slightly smaller budget deficit for the coming fiscal year, with a modest increase in infrastructure spending.

The changes — which will cost the government more than 1 trillion rupees in revenue — will “substantially reduce the taxes of the middle class and leave more money in their hands, boosting household consumption, savings and investment,” the minister said.

As per official data show about 63 million people, or more than 80% of taxpayers, earn up to 1 million rupees a year.

India faces its weakest economic growth since the pandemic, amid rising geopolitical risks and US tariff threats under Donald Trump. Investors have erased $600 billion from Indian stocks in a month.

The government projects 6.4% growth this fiscal year, below the 8% needed for Modi’s 2047 development goals. Next year’s growth is expected between 6.3% and 6.8%.

What did the opposition say?

The budget 2025 has been widely criticised by the opposition, including the Congress.

Congress MP Rajmohan Unnithan welcomed the tax exemption on incomes upto ₹12 lakh, but said that apart from that the budget was “a disappointment”. He said that there was no mention of the allocation of funds for the various states and will have to wait for the discussions on the budget to get clarity on the issue.

Trinamool Congress national general secretary and Lok Sabha MP Abhishek Banerjee said there was nothing for West Bengal in the Budget.

“There is nothing for common people in the Budget. They have presented the Budget with the upcoming Bihar elections in mind. Last time as well, all announcements were for Andhra Pradesh and Bihar. Andhra Pradesh elections are over, Bihar polls are upcoming, so the state is in focus,” Banerjee told reporters in the Parliament complex.

DMK Lok Sabha MP Dayanidhi Maran called the Budget a “big letdown” for the country.

“It is a big letdown for the country, especially for the middle class. The Finance Minister claims she is giving tax exemption up to ₹12 lakh, but the very next line was there is 10 per cent tax slab for ₹8 to ₹10 lakh income,” he said.

What did the netizen say?

Netizens had a mixed reaction to the comment.
Some aggreed with him saying, “This government’s economic mismanagement is staggering. They’re driving India’s economy off a cliff.” and “A kursi bachao budget.”

While many slammed him saying, ‘kuchh toh sharam kar’ and ‘Refrain from commenting on matters outside your area of expertise.’