Of 20 who prepared Union Budget 2024, only two belonged to minorities, OBCs: Rahul Gandhi
New Delhi: In a fiery speech in the Lok Sabha, Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi criticized the Union Budget 2024, highlighting the lack of representation of minorties, Dalits, OBCs, and tribal officers in its preparation and addressing various policy failures.
During his address, Gandhi displayed a poster of the traditional Halwa ceremony held at the Ministry of Finance before the Budget session. However, Speaker Om Birla declined his request to show the picture. Gandhi then explained, "In this photo, 'Budget ka halwa' is being distributed. Out of the 20 officers who prepared the Union Budget 2024, only two belonged to minority communities or OBCs, and they were not even present in the picture. The nation's benefits are being shared, but 73% of the population is missing. Twenty officers prepared the Budget of India, and not one in the photo represents these communities."
Gandhi continued his critique, accusing the government of trapping soldiers in an "Agniveer Chakravyuh" and failing to address youth unemployment and paper leaks. "During Covid, you helped large businesses and destroyed smaller ones, leaving youth without employment. The Finance Minister included an internship program in the Budget for 500 large companies, which won't benefit 99% of the youth. The main issue for the youth is paper leaks; there have been 70 instances in 10 years, yet the Finance Minister did not mention it. Instead, the education budget was reduced to 2.5% of the total budget."
Gandhi also condemned the government's handling of the Agniveer scheme and the plight of farmers. "For the first time, you trapped soldiers in an Agniveer Chakravyuh, with no mention of Agniveer pensions in the budget. Farmers seeking legally guaranteed MSP were stopped at borders. They came to meet me, but you did not allow them," he stated.
Addressing the farmers directly, Gandhi pledged, "I want to tell the farmers of the country that we will do what they (NDA) have not done. We will pass (the bill for) guaranteed legal MSP in this House.”
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Xi, Trump reach series of new common understandings: China's foreign ministry
Beijing (PTI): Chinese President Xi Jinping and his US counterpart Donald Trump had an in-depth exchange of views on major issues concerning the two countries and the world, and reached a series of new common understandings, a Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson said Friday.
Xi and Trump, who is on a three-day visit to China, met twice on Thursday and discussed a range of bilateral and global issues.
Trump is due to leave on Friday after a luncheon meeting with Xi.
Summing up the outcomes of Trump’s visit to Beijing, a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson said the two presidents had an in-depth exchange of views on major issues concerning the two countries and the world and reached a series of new common understandings.
They agreed on a new vision of building a constructive China-US relationship of strategic stability to provide strategic guidance for bilateral relations over the next three years and beyond.
The two presidents also agreed to promote the steady, sound and sustainable development of China-US relations, and bring more peace, prosperity and progress to the world, said a statement by the ministry’s spokesperson.
Trump visited China at the invitation of Xi.
The two presidents are meeting in person again for the first time since their Busan meeting last October, and it is the first visit to China by a US president in nine years, the statement said.
On Thursday, President Xi held a welcome ceremony and a banquet for Trump, held talks and visited the Temple of Heaven with him.
VIDEO | Beijing: On second day of bilateral talks, US President Donald Trump (@POTUS) thanks Chinese President Xi Jinping for 'incredible' China trip.
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) May 15, 2026
Trump says, "Thank you very much. This has been an incredible visit. I think a lot of good has come of it. We've made some… pic.twitter.com/7A7lbEzLdC
