Opposition parties on Sunday mounted a sharp attack on the Union Budget 2026–27 presented by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, describing it as underwhelming and disconnected from the needs of the common people.
Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said the Budget was “woefully short of the hype” and criticised the lack of transparency in the Finance Minister’s 90-minute speech. He alleged that the speech failed to clearly outline budgetary allocations for major schemes and programmes. Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi also played down expectations, saying she had little hope from the Modi government’s Budget.
The Samajwadi Party launched a more scathing critique. Party chief Akhilesh Yadav accused the government of framing budgets for a privileged few, claiming that the Budget benefited only five per cent of the population and questioning whether the ruling party had fulfilled its manifesto promises. Lok Sabha MP Dimple Yadav echoed the criticism, stating that the heavy use of technical terminology made the Budget inaccessible to the common man and offered nothing substantial for farmers or women’s safety.
Trinamool Congress MP Abhishek Banerjee adopted a more cautious approach, saying detailed comments should follow a thorough review of the Budget documents.
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, who presented her ninth consecutive Budget, said the government’s focus remains on accelerating and sustaining economic growth, fulfilling people’s aspirations, and prioritising the poor and disadvantaged. She added that the Centre has chosen reforms over rhetoric and reaffirmed India’s commitment to becoming a “Viksit Bharat”.
