Bhubaneswar: The Biju Janata Dal (BJD) MPs today staged a walkout from the Rajya Sabha during presentation of Union Budget by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman.
The MPs expressed their discontent, alleging that Odisha was denied special category status in the budget. The walkout was a gesture of protest, highlighting the party’s dissatisfaction with the Central government’s decision.
“BJD has objected to this budget and walked out of the Rajya Sabha, strongly protesting the continued neglect of Odisha in the Union Budget. We find that the demands of Odisha have not been met. We term this Budget anti-Odisha,” BJD MP Sasmit Patra said.
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced plans to ensure the ‘all-round development’ of eastern India and develop various tourist sites in Odisha as part of the Budget on Tuesday. The BJD spokesperson, however, said that the party had walked out “due to denial of Special Category State status to Odisha”.
Before Walking out, the BJD MPs strongly said in the House that they are walking out due to denial of Special Category State status to Odisha, Patra said.
“Odisha, Andhra Pradesh and Bihar have been asking for Special Category. The two states got additional special funds, but Odisha’s demand was not considered. Probably this is the punishment meted out to Odisha for electing 20 Lok Sabha BJP MPs out of 21 MPs from Odisha and the reward to the BJP allies from Bihar and Andhra Pradesh,” Patra added.
Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman presented the first Budget of the Modi 3.0 government and her seventh consecutive during the Monsoon Session of Parliament on Tuesday.
