Bharat Newz 24*7
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee launched a scathing attack on the Union Budget, branding it a “Humpty Dumpty budget” that is completely “directionless, visionless, missionless, and actionless.” Her sharp remarks came shortly after Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman presented the budget in Parliament on Sunday.
Speaking to reporters at Kolkata airport before leaving for Delhi, Mamata did not mince words. She questioned whether the budget offered any real relief to ordinary citizens, accusing the Centre of indulging in rhetoric without substance.
“This budget is full of wordplay and big talk,” she said. “But can anyone point out even one area where common people actually benefit? It’s nothing but a Humpty Dumpty budget—lots of noise, no results.”
Allegations of Discrimination Against Bengal
With the West Bengal Assembly elections approaching, Mamata alleged that the state has once again been deliberately ignored. According to her, the Centre avoided making any meaningful commitments to Bengal because it anticipates defeat in the upcoming polls.
“Bihar received special attention earlier, but Bengal has been deprived again,” she said. “They know they will lose here, so they chose not to announce anything substantial for the state.”
Mamata also claimed that the Centre owes West Bengal nearly ₹2 lakh crore in pending dues and accused the BJP-led government of withholding funds unfairly.
GST, Central Agencies, and Political Targeting
Criticising the GST framework, Mamata argued that the Centre collects revenue centrally while failing to return the states’ rightful share.
“There is only one tax system now—GST. All the money is being taken from Bengal, and not a single rupee is being returned. Whatever they are announcing in the budget is actually our own money,” she said.
She also accused the BJP of misusing central agencies and institutions, including the Election Commission, for political gains. Referring to recent electoral setbacks faced by the BJP in states like Haryana and Maharashtra, Mamata warned that similar outcomes await the party in Bengal, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu.
“I told them—fight politically if you have the courage. Stop using the Election Commission and central agencies as weapons. That strategy has already failed elsewhere, and it will fail here too,” she asserted.
Infrastructure Claims and Counterclaims
Reacting to the Centre’s mention of freight corridors and high-speed rail projects, Mamata said many of these ideas were originally proposed by her government years ago.
“They are talking about freight corridors now. I spoke about these in 2009. Why were they not implemented all these years?” she asked.
Union Budget 2026 Focuses on Poll-Bound States, PM Modi Calls It a “Historic” Budget
She pointed out that her government had already announced six major product and freight corridors in the state budget, including routes such as Dankuni–Raghunathpur, Raghunathpur–Tajpur, Dankuni–Jhargram, and Dankuni–Cooch Behar.
Highlighting Bengal’s industrial progress, Mamata said projects worth over ₹72,000 crore have already been invested, particularly in areas like Jangalmahal and Purulia.
Dig at Varanasi Development
Taking a swipe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Mamata criticised the proposed high-speed rail corridor between Siliguri and Varanasi, sarcastically remarking that the PM’s parliamentary constituency was being turned into a “Disneyland” while other regions were ignored.
Concluding her remarks, Mamata expressed confidence that voters would respond decisively in the upcoming elections. “The people of Bengal will give the BJP a fitting reply,” she said, reaffirming her belief that the state will reject what she called the Centre’s “step-motherly attitude.”
