MyVoice: Views of our readers 3rd February 2022

KCR's outburst against Centre unfair

It is unfortunate that Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao is failing to read the writing on the wall, in terms of diminishing quality of life and minimum expectations of people of Telangana, to blame BJP for all ills that the TS is facing. TRS strategy to keep the opposition at bay, so that the writ of single party rule in the state can be possible, is a primitive notion that cannot be possible in multi-party democracy like India. This is in a way beauty of democracy to keep the ruling party on its toes; and even best performing governments may fall from the grace of electorate. The electorate will choose a better alternative to govern them, having given a reasonable time for tangible improvement for the party in power. Finding new political cronies to upset the well-performing BJP-led NDA is not a sound idea for KCR, while learning lessons, looking at the performance of the Centre might surely help things in course correction.

S Lakshmi, Hyderabad

II

It is very surprising to note the response of Telangana CM on Budget 2022. He spoke in a very arrogant manner and his speech lacks minimum decency. In fact, he himself breached the federal spirit by using an inappropriate and filthy language while referring to the Prime Minister of this country. He utterly failed in explaining how the Centre is invading States and weakening them. His speech purely reflects his arrogance and immaturity in politics. Even a layman can understand his motives behind his speech. He is trying to cheat TS people once again by just blaming the Centre for everything.

D V Seshasai, Narasaraopet

A budget sans welfare measures

Prime Minister Narendra Modi's claim that it was a 'people-friendly' and 'progressive' budget was not backed by its contents. We couldn't agree more with P Chidambaram's assessment that it was 'the most capitalist budget speech ever read by a Finance Minister.' Apart from the announcements of 'one class, one TV channel' scheme and National Tele Mental Health Programme to manage the pandemic-related mental health problems, there was nothing in the budget to indicate that it was unveiled in the midst of a pandemic. We cannot help focusing on the negative that it announced no cash handouts for the poor and no tax breaks for the middle class to boost consumer spending. The impoverished multitudes had nothing specific in the budget for them to become materially better off here and now. Amrit Kaal (time of nectar) after 25 years does not ameliorate their present plight.

G David Milton, Maruthancode

II

Anyone who looks at the Budget 2022-2023 presented by the Finance Minister of India on the first of February 2022 says without any doubt that it is a capitalist pro-budget. Ever since Modi became the Prime Minister, he has been trying his best to help the corporate bodies in all possible ways. The privatisation of Air India and LIC is a clear suggestion of informing the country that they are in favour of the corporate sector but not in favour of people's democracy. Except the BJP, all the other national and regional political parties have vehemently criticised and commented that the budget is anti-people. Looking at the anti-people's budget the voters of this country should realise that the BJP is cheating them by using the Hindu card.

Thummapudi Bharathi, Tirupati

III

The Union Budget is supposed to be with a human face, given the turbulent period the country faces. Alas! It's turned out to be with virtual face, if not inhuman face. The budget is full of support for digital things like digital rupee, digital university and digital wealth etc. But it's oblivious to facts of reality like exponential rise of unemployment, widening economic inequality and disturbed livelihood. The immediate issues of lives and livelihoods are not addressed properly whereas the long-term goals are pronounced mechanically. In the prevailing difficult times that demand rural employment guarantee scheme to be expanded and extended to urban areas also, the lifeline programme has got cuts in its funding. The subsidies on fuel, fertilisers and food have been decreased, to the dismay of the common man. The Budget has failed to infuse confidence in majority of people.

Dr DVG Sankararao, Vizianagaram