Delhi/Chandigaarh ( Ranjeet Singh Dhaliwal ) : Amarinder Singh Raja Warring, the Member of Parliament from Ludhiana and President of the Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee, today delivered a fiery address in the Parliament during the discussion on the Union Budget. The Ludhiana MP lambasted the BJP government for presenting a budget that neglects the needs of the common man, farmers, and the people of Punjab while shamelessly favouring the ruling party’s select few friends and poll-bound states. “The Union Budget, which once uplifted farmers, laborers, and the poor, has now become a tool to serve the vested interests of the BJP and its cronies,” Raja Warring remarked, calling out the stark disparity in priorities under the current regime. He criticized the government for sidelining Punjab, a state that has been the backbone of the nation’s food security and stated, “Punjab’s farmers demanded MSP, but instead, they received bullets. What justice did young farmer Shubhkaran Singh get after his murder by Haryana police during the protest? This is the BJP’s vision of empowerment!” Highlighting the alarming economic downturn under BJP rule, Warring compared the current state of GDP growth with that under former Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh. “During UPA 2, India witnessed an average GDP growth of 8.5%. Now, we are languishing at the bottom, witnessing low growth rates while costs of essential goods spiral out of control. DAP fertilizer has shot up from ₹450 to ₹1,400 per bag, steel prices from ₹2,800 to ₹7,000, diesel from ₹51 to ₹90, and gas cylinders from ₹350 to ₹1,100. Is this the growth BJP promised us?” he asked.
The Ludhiana MP raised concerns over the exclusion of lakhs of farmers from the Kisaan Nidhi Yojana, accusing the BJP government of punishing farmers for their participation in protests. “In 2019, 23.5 lakh farmers benefitted from the scheme. By 2023, this number dropped to 14 lakh. This government talks of doubling farmers’ income but acts only to double their struggles,” he said. Raja Warring also called for increased support under MGNREGA, saying, “It is shameful that the government promises 100 days of work but delivers only 45 on average. I demand that the scheme be expanded to guarantee 200 days of work at a daily wage of ₹600. Anything less is a betrayal of the poor.” Focusing on Ludhiana, the MP slammed the BJP for its detrimental policies that have pushed the MSME sector to the brink of collapse. “Ludhiana’s 1.5 lakh MSMEs, the backbone of our economy, are suffering due to exorbitant steel prices and the government’s 25% Steel Safeguard Import Duty. This move will destroy industries like cycles and sewing machines, which rely on imported steel, all to benefit a few of BJP’s close associates,” he asserted. The MP did not spare the government’s much-publicized “Smart City Mission” either, terming it a sham. “Ludhiana, part of the ₹2 lakh crore Smart City Mission, continues to be one of the most polluted cities in India. What work has been done? This is nothing but another BJP advertisement campaign with zero results,” he said. Warring concluded his scathing critique by exposing the falsehoods behind the BJP’s claims of progress. “The Prime Minister talks about ‘AmritKaal,’ but during this so-called golden period, 8.5 lakh Indians gave up their citizenship. FDI inflows have hit their lowest in 16 years. This ‘AmritKaal’ is no different from BJP’s ‘Achhe Din’—all talk and no substance,” he declared