Delhi, Maharashtra, West Bengal CMs Allege Budget ‘Injustice’ to Their States

Mahabaleshwar, Delhi, Kolkata: Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Saturday alleged that the Union Budget gives "step-motherly" treatment to the state and does not do justice to Mumbai.

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, who is in the midst of an election campaign, also alleged “step-motherly treatment meted out to Delhi again

In Kolkata, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee slammed the central government's proposal to sell a part of its shares in LIC, describing it as a plan to "ambush" the legacy of public institutions.

Kejriwal took to Twitter to express his disappointment over the Budget for 2020-21, presented by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and asked, "When Delhi doesn't figure in the BJP's priorities, why should people vote for it?"

"Delhi had high expectations from the Budget, but step-motherly treatment has been meted out to it again," he posted on the microblogging site in Hindi.

The Aam Aadmi Party national convenor also asked that if the BJP was disappointing Delhi before the Assembly elections, "will it fulfil its promises after the polls?"

Delhi goes to polls on February 8 and the Assembly election results will be announced on February 11.

Terming the Union Budget as “far removed from reality”, Maharashtra Chief Minister Thackeray, a former ally of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party, said: "It is deeply disappointing for Maharashtra. This budget is unjust for Maharashtra and Mumbai which is the country's growth engine," Thackeray said in a statement.

It does not support development of basic amenities in Mumbai and on-going metro projects in the megapolis, he said.

"There is no mention of the suburban railway network (in Mumbai) and development of proposed lines (on the Central and Western Railway routes).

“The budget gives no momentum to the development of railway network in the state except for the mention of projects announced earlier, such as the Mumbai-Ahmedabad Bullet Train," Thackeray said.

He also raised a question over the Centre not considering any site from "culturally rich" Maharashtra for development as "iconic site".

The decision to divest a stake in LIC and possible privatisation of the Railways show the precarious state of the economy, Thackeray said.

In Kolkata, Mamata Banerjee slammed the central government's proposal to sell a part of its shares in LIC.

"I am shocked and appalled to see how the central government plans to ambush the heritage and legacy of public institutions. It's the end of sense of security. Is it also an end of an era?" the CM said in a tweet.