New Delhi [India], February 1 (ANI): Senior Congress leader and Member of Parliament Shashi Tharoor took a swipe at the Union Budget 2025, presented by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, questioning the lack of emphasis on unemployment. While acknowledging the middle-class tax relief, Tharoor underscored the need for job creation to ensure people actually benefit from the exemptions.
"The applause you heard from the BJP benches was for the middle-class tax cuts. If you have a salary, you may be paying less tax. But the crucial question is—what happens if you don’t have a salary?" Tharoor remarked while speaking to ANI.
Lack of Focus on Unemployment
Criticizing the budget’s approach, Tharoor pointed out that unemployment was not addressed by the Finance Minister. "To benefit from income tax relief, one actually needs an income source. The Budget does not provide solutions for job creation," he stated.
He also took a jibe at the ruling party's election strategy, commenting, "The party that advocates ‘One Nation, One Election’ is using each state election to offer more freebies. Perhaps they prefer multiple elections to keep garnering applause from their allies."
Middle-Class Tax Relief Amidst Concerns
The criticism follows Sitharaman’s announcement that individuals earning up to ₹12 lakh per annum will be exempt from income tax, providing substantial relief to the middle class. The exemption limit rises to ₹12.75 lakh for salaried individuals, including a ₹75,000 standard deduction.
However, certain conditions apply—taxpayers must avail deductions under various sections of the Income Tax Act, such as:
- ₹1.5 lakh exemption under Section 80CCC
- ₹1.5 lakh exemption on home loan interest payments
Budget Receives Mixed Reactions in Parliament
The Finance Minister’s announcement was met with enthusiastic applause from treasury benches, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Despite this, opposition leaders, including Tharoor, have raised concerns over the lack of focus on job creation.
Following the budget presentation, the Lok Sabha was adjourned and will reconvene on February 2 to resume discussions on the Union Budget 2025.
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