SHILLONG: The state unit of the Congress party has slammed the central government for its step-motherly attitude to the North-East in the Union Budget presented in Parliament on Thursday.
Addressing a press conference here on Thursday, Congress spokesperson Tom Vadakkan said the budget has nothing for the North-Eastern region and the Congress would take up this issue and make it a poll plank ahead of the Assembly elections in the three North-Eastern states.
Castigating the budget in no uncertain terms, Vadakkan said the country’s economy is in a shambles and the people are disappointed with the budget, adding that instead of creating employment opportunities the BJP-led NDA government at the Centre has taken away jobs by announcing demonetisation.
As regards the health insurance cover of Rs 5 lakh for India’s poorest that Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said was the biggest healthcare programme undertaken by any government, Vadakkan said the decision would only benefit medical insurance companies.
“This is a deficit sarkar as there is deficit of jobs and deficit of governance,” he said, adding that while the tax burden on the common man has not been reduced, the FM has announced a corporate tax cut to woo big business.
Taking a cue from the Congress’ success in the Rajasthan by-polls, Vadakkan said the BJP is unable to see the writing on the wall. If they don’t mend their ways, there will be reactions all across the country, he added.
