Daijiworld Media Network - New Delhi

New Delhi, Feb 1: As finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman unveiled the Union Budget 2026, Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav came down heavily on the BJP-led government, accusing it of framing budgets that serve only a privileged minority rather than the nation at large. He alleged that the government’s financial planning caters to barely five per cent of the population—those closely aligned with the ruling party.

Addressing the media outside Parliament, Yadav said he went into the budget session with zero expectations. According to him, past budgets have consistently ignored the needs of the majority.

“When there is no hope from the BJP government itself, how can one expect anything from its budget?” he remarked. “Year after year, the budget appears to be crafted for just one-twentieth of the country. The BJP uses it to protect and promote its own people.”

He stressed that a meaningful budget should ease the hardships of the poor and tangibly improve everyday life, something he believes the current government has failed to do.

Taking aim at the BJP’s past promises, Yadav questioned its claims on urban development and governance. He asked how many smart cities have actually been delivered and pointed to failures in basic services like water and waste management, citing deaths linked to contaminated water. He also criticised the gap between the government’s global rhetoric and ground realities, noting that India has faced international criticism over air pollution—an issue that, he said, deters investment.

Raising alarms over public health and environmental conditions, Yadav said worsening pollution has made life difficult for ordinary citizens. “If it weren’t for timely rainfall, breathing would have been unbearable,” he said, adding that people are battling infections while inflation continues to rise. He questioned whether farmers’ incomes have truly doubled and whether job creation claims reflect real employment opportunities.

The SP chief also challenged the government’s narrative on social justice. “Big promises are made in its name, but what answers does the government have for the reality on the ground?” he asked, reiterating that the budget once again excludes the vast majority of citizens.

Turning to Uttar Pradesh, Yadav accused the state government of being out of touch with people’s struggles. He alleged that money is being deducted under new schemes, allocations for MGNREGA have been cut despite a name change, and nearly 1,000 gram sabhas have been declared urban without any corresponding financial support.

He concluded by questioning the government’s infrastructure claims. “They boast about building 1,000 kilometres of metro, yet none exists in the Prime Minister’s own constituency,” he said. “Expressways, village development, and grand projects are talked about endlessly, but much of it seems to exist only on paper.”