Will Jaitley Play Rescuer Or Will The Opposition Prevail?

The finance minister is set to present the budget amid signs of economic distress and political opposition. Will he turn it around? KN Ashok asks.

- KN Ashok

India is now described as the world’s fastest economy with a growth rate of 7.3 percent despite slowdowns faced by Europe and the rest of bric countries – Brazil, Russia and China. However, what is the reality behind this glossy picture as the nda government prepares to announce their second budget?

Reports from different areas on the economic front indicate that the country is facing huge crisis and uncertainties. The lack of private investment, rising unemployment, growing fiscal deficit, declining exports, widening disparity between the rich and the poor, rising food inflation and most importantly the crisis in the country’s farming and agricultural sector and distress in rural areas; do not offer a vision of impending Acchhe Din.

Just like the past two parliament sessions, opposition parties has already made it clear that they have enough ammunition to take on the government this time. KC Tyagi, the national spokesperson and Rajya Sabha MP of Janata Dal (United), tells Tehelka, “We are not against reforms, but it should not target some set of people. We will not support disinvestment and other privatisation plans.”

“There are a number of issues which the opposition parties want to raise in the house. Dalit student Rohith Vemula’s suicide, saffronisation of higher education, the government’s inability to provide relief for farmers, role of the governor in Arunachal crisis, the government’s flip-flop on foreign policy especially its relation with Pakistan and the corruption allegations against Gujarat chief minister,” he says. It’s clear that the budget session will be a stormy one and the Opposition may not allow the government to pass many crucial bills.