BJP makes budget for country’s 5%, giving benefits to its own people: Akhilesh

As finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman presented the Union Budget 2026 in Parliament on Sunday, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav mounted a blistering attack on the BJP-led government, accusing it of crafting budgets that cater to only a privileged few.

Speaking to reporters outside Parliament, Yadav said he had no expectations from the BJP or its latest Budget, alleging that successive budgets have been designed to benefit just “one-twentieth of the population”.

“When I have no expectations from the BJP government, what can I expect from its Budget?” he asked. “So far, the budgets appear to be meant for only five per cent of the country. Through the Budget, the BJP looks after its own people and ensures their progress, while the rest are ignored.”

The former Uttar Pradesh chief minister said a meaningful Budget should bring tangible relief to the poor and improve everyday lives, something he claimed the current dispensation had consistently failed to deliver.

Targeting the government’s development claims, Yadav questioned the implementation of flagship promises. He asked how many smart cities had actually been developed, alleging that despite assurances of improved solid waste management, people had died after consuming contaminated water. He also pointed to India facing criticism on global platforms over air pollution, warning that deteriorating environmental conditions could deter investment.

Raising concerns over public health and pollution, Yadav said people were struggling to breathe and falling ill amid worsening air quality. “It is only because of God’s grace that there has been rain; otherwise, it would have been very difficult to breathe,” he remarked, adding that lofty claims of national progress ring hollow amid rising inflation.

He further questioned whether farmers’ incomes had truly doubled and whether the much-touted job creation drive had translated into real employment. “They talk about jobs, but are people actually getting jobs?” he asked.

On social justice, the SP chief accused the government of empty rhetoric. “You make tall claims in the name of social justice, but what answers do you have for the reality on the ground? This Budget, once again, is only for one-twentieth of the population,” he said.

Turning to Uttar Pradesh, Yadav alleged that the state government was out of touch with ground realities. He claimed that under new schemes, people’s money was being deducted, allocations under MGNREGA had been reduced, and nearly 1,000 gram sabhas had been declared urban without corresponding budgetary support.

He also took aim at infrastructure claims, questioning assertions about metro expansion and expressway construction. “They talk about building 1,000 kilometres of metro, yet no metro has been built in the prime minister’s parliamentary constituency,” he said, adding that many expressways existed “only on paper”.

Yadav’s remarks added a sharp political edge to Budget Day proceedings, underscoring the opposition’s charge that the Union Budget 2026 prioritises select interests while leaving broader public concerns unaddressed.

With IANS inputs