After the Budget presentation by Finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Sunday, Trinamool Congress (TMC) national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee said that in her 5,100-second speech, the "FM did not mention Bengal even once".
"To me, this Budget appears more like the government’s self-appraisal report written by its PR team," he stated.
Calling the Budget "faceless, baseless and visionless", the Diamond Harbour MP stated, "The promise made earlier to allocate Rs 2,500 crore under the Jal Jeevan Mission has not been fulfilled."
Also Read | What is the Finance Bill? The Budget document that turns proposals into law
Reacting to the setting up of two more NIMHANS in Jharkhand and Assam, Banerjee said that one already exists in Bengaluru and this means that the people from Bengal who need treatment at NIMHANS will have to travel to these places since no such institute was being set up in the state. "This is nothing but an attempt to harass the people of Bengal," he claimed.
'No roadmap for youngsters'
Banerjee highlighted how as many as 10 crore people of Bengal were being termed as Bangladeshis by the Prime Minister and the Home minister. "For the people of Bengal—workers, farmers, fishermen and the youth—there is nothing in this Budget. There is no roadmap for young people. The Dankuni Corridor was promised earlier and has been repeated once again," he stated.
"The government, which talks about Skill India, artificial intelligence, and technological advancement, failed to provide any roadmap for job creation for the youth. There was no mention of security for farmers or measures to stabilise their income," Banerjee alleged.
Also Read | What are some of the key numbers for the Union Budget 2026? From Capex to fiscal deficit, a complete guide
'BJP's step-motherly attitude on display'
He called the Budget the "BJP's step-motherly attitude on display" and reiterated his claim that Bengal has been treated unfairly. He said that if the government can back its claims by releasing a White Paper that shows even one job-card holder from West Bengal received money under MGNREGA through Direct Benefit Transfer after the BJP’s loss in the 2021 Assembly polls, he would quit politics.
"Clearly, the BJP’s step-motherly attitude is on display. We have been saying this for the last five years: if this government can show, by releasing a White Paper, that after the BJP’s debacle in the 2021 West Bengal polls even one job-card holder from Bengal under MGNREGA received money through Direct Benefit Transfer, I will quit politics," he said to mediapersons outside the Parliament on Sunday.
Also Read | Budget 2026 opens wider door for NRIs, raises equity investment limits
Banerjee claimed that the government has not given "10 paise" to Bengal under the Gramin Sadak Yojana after the 2021 poll debacle and asserted, "If they can show that in the last four years under the Awas Yojana, in which the Centre provides 60% of the funds, even one person from Bengal received funds, I will quit politics."
'People will teach BJP a lesson'
Reiterating his claim that the people would give a befitting reply to the BJP in the upcoming elections, he said, "In Bengal, they are losing, so the BJP, with its step-motherly attitude, is trying to teach the people of Bengal a lesson. But in a democracy, it works the other way around. In the coming polls, the people will give a befitting reply to the BJP."
"After 2021, the way the BJP has tortured the people of Bengal leaves us with no expectations from them. From the BJP’s perspective, they know they will lose Bengal, lock, stock and barrel, which is why they deliberately chose not to allocate funds to the state," he said.
