Rahul Gandhi: The Indian Lok Sabha witnessed a high-profile debate today, as Rahul Gandhi, Leader of Opposition and MP from Rae Bareli, presented his critique of Budget 2024. He came out pounding against the Central government’s allocation for education, calling it the lowest in two decades. His remarks set the stage for a broader critique of the NDA government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Education Budget at an All-Time Low
The prime accusation of Gandhi lay on the drastic cut in the education budget. He said that the financial commitment of the government towards education has hit an all-time low, damaging the future of the young generation of India and the quality of education being imparted. According to Gandhi, this meager allocation has been nothing but sheer negligence towards the education sector, which he perceives as an important pedestal through which the country will progress.
Other than education, there were some other matters ailing the present regime that were targeted by Gandhi. He launched an attack at the government over the NEET paper leak scandal, termed it a disputed question, and mentioned that Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman had been silent on the issue raised by MPs during the budget session. He again charged the government with overlooking measures against tax terrorism and reiterated that the middle class has been cheated by the policy of the NDA.
NEET Paper Leak Scandal
He equated the prevailing political situation to the “Chakravyuh” in the Mahabharata—a highly intricate military arrangement with which one army could inure and defeat others. He said that, like Abhimanyu in the epic, common people are now getting caught in government policies. The extended metaphor also included describing the supposedly main characters of the present government, namely Narendra Modi, Amit Shah, Mohan Bhagwat, Ajit Doval, Ambani, Adani, who Gandhi claimed were the architects of such Chakravyuh.
Tax Terrorism and Middle-Class Betrayal
It is part of a larger disappointment with the priorities and actions of the NDA government. By framing the budget as a symbol of neglect and betrayal, he not only questions the fiscal decisions of the government but also its manner of governance as a whole. In continuing this debate, the reverberations of Gandhi’s statement are likely to spread down through political debate to popular sentiment.