Left and Right MPs against ignoring Kerala in budget; Chief Ministers of Congress-ruled states to boycott NITI Aayog meeting

NEW DELHI: Left and right MPs in Kerala have reacted that the budget is disappointing. Congress will protest in Parliament today.

Kodikunnil Suresh said that the demands like financial package, GST share, AIIMS, support price for rubber and second Kuttanad package have been neglected. K Radhakrishnan responded that what was shown to Kerala was severe discrimination. NK Premachandran said the budget sends a message that the third Modi government can move forward only by bowing to Nitish-Naidu pressure. PV Abdul Wahab pointed out that South Indian states were totally ignored and Haris Beeran said that the budget insulted Malayalis. V Sivadas criticized it as a continuation of corporate favoritism and P Santhoshkumar criticized it as a scam for cheating the common people.

K Sudhakaran said the budget was politically motivated to protect the narrow interests of the NDA front. Ramesh Chennithala responded that the budget should have been presented in the Bihar and Andhra Legislative Assemblies. Benny Bahanan said it was a budget to prop up the government, Hiby Eden called it a budget that challenged federalism and JB Mather said there was no proposal to implement the Women's Reservation Act.

Meanwhile, former Union Minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar stated that the budget is aimed at a developed India.

NITI Aayog meeting will be boycotted

KC Venugopal alleged that federal principles were subverted in the budget. Chief Ministers of Congress-ruled states will boycott the NITI Aayog meeting scheduled for July 27 in Delhi. Chief Minister MK Stralin said that Tamil Nadu too will not participate.