BY TC News Desk
Agartala, 14th February 2025: Former Tripura Chief Minister and CPI(M) Politburo Member Manik Sarkar has strongly criticized the Union Budget presented by the BJP-led central government, calling it pro-corporate and neglectful of the common people.
Speaking at a street-corner meeting in Agartala, Sarkar alleged that successive central governments have been passing Union Budgets without prioritizing the welfare of ordinary citizens. “Since independence, budgets have been placed and passed in Parliament, but no one can claim they were truly for the benefit of common people,” he remarked.
Taking a dig at the BJP, he stated, “During elections, they talk about the poor, but once in power, they cater only to corporators and illegal businessmen.” He pointed out that when the BJP took over at the Centre, the number of corporators was below 100, but over the past decade, it has surged past 200.
Sarkar reiterated the Left Front’s longstanding demand for a property tax on corporators to strengthen the economy, arguing that their wealth has been amassed by exploiting ordinary citizens. He accused the government of further burdening the people through economic policies that favor corporate interests.
He further stated that opposition leaders have consistently raised concerns regarding the anti-people nature of the budget in Parliament. However, he expressed skepticism about any potential amendments, given the BJP’s parliamentary majority. “Even if the opposition protests or boycotts, the BJP has the numbers to pass it without resistance,” he added.
Highlighting the struggles of the common people, Sarkar said, “When traveling by train, you can see how people are forced to live without proper houses or financial stability. Many cannot afford medical treatment. In some hospitals, there are doctors but no nurses, while in others, it’s the reverse. This grim scenario extends to Tripura as well. Patients have to purchase everything needed for surgery, which should ideally be provided by the hospital.”
He urged the government to take immediate measures to enhance people’s income, ensure access to food and shelter, and improve the education system.
Criticizing the Centre over MNREGA work, Sarkar accused the government of depriving people of employment opportunities. “MNREGA work is being denied to the public, and the Centre is neither allocating sufficient funds nor increasing them. Nowadays, people get only around 30 days of MNREGA work, and even then, their wages remain unpaid,” he asserted.
Sarkar called upon the people to recognize these injustices and demand policies that address their fundamental needs rather than favoring corporate interests.
