Budget Battle: Sitharaman Challenges Rahul Gandhi's Criticisms

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman refutes Rahul Gandhi's criticism of the Union Budget, challenging him to provide evidence of alleged gaps. She highlights the focus on youth skilling and entrepreneurship, dismissing Gandhi's claims as baseless and emphasizing government measures addressing agriculture and rural job support.

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has dismissed criticisms of the Union Budget by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, calling his remarks 'uninformed.' In an interview, she challenged Gandhi to substantiate his claims of gaps in the budget with concrete evidence.

Sitharaman specifically countered Gandhi's assertions that the budget overlooked vital sectors such as unemployment, rural distress, and manufacturing slowdown. She declared these accusations as having 'absolutely no basis' and accused Gandhi of making unfounded claims.

The minister emphasized the budget's provisions for youth skilling, entrepreneurship, and emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence. Sitharaman further stated that the budget allocates support for agriculture and rural jobs while aligning with the needs of the modern labor market.

(With inputs from agencies.)