Hours after Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman presented the Union Budget 2025, Congress leader and Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, launched a scathing attack on the Modi government without addressing the specific merits or shortcomings of the budget.

Taking to social media platform X, Gandhi remarked, "A band-aid for bullet wounds! Amid global uncertainty, solving our economic crisis demanded a paradigm shift. But this government is bankrupt of ideas." His statement signals the Congress party’s continued criticism of the Modi government’s economic policies.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi hailed the Union Budget as a "Force Multiplier" for India's development journey, calling it a "budget of aspirations" for 140 crore Indians. In a video address, PM Modi stated, "This is a budget which fulfills the dreams of our people. We have opened many sectors for the youth. Common citizens are going to drive the mission of Viksit Bharat. This budget will increase savings, investment, consumption, and growth. I congratulate Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman and her entire team for coming up with a people-centric budget."

Senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor also took a dig at the budget, questioning its focus on Bihar, a poll-bound state, and criticizing its lack of attention to unemployment. Speaking to ANI, Tharoor said, "I think frankly, the applause you heard from the BJP benches was for the middle-class tax cut. But where is the income going to come from if people don’t have jobs? Unemployment was not even mentioned by the Finance Minister."

Taking another swipe at the Modi government, Tharoor added, "It is ironic that the party that wants 'One Nation, One Election' is using each state election to announce more freebies. They might as well have multiple elections every year to keep getting applause from their allies."

As political debates over the Union Budget 2025 intensify, the ruling BJP continues to project it as a pro-growth and pro-middle-class budget, while the opposition slams it as directionless and politically motivated.