New Delhi, February 1: Union Minister Piyush Goyal presented the Budget in the parliament on Friday and made several announcements related with farmers’ welfare, tax exemptions, health schemes, defence budget, among others. Goyal while presenting the Interim Budget – in place Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley – he was hailed by the BJP leaders, but was slammed by the Opposition leaders. Budget 2019: Populism at Last! Piyush Goyal's Pandora's Box Delights Farmers; Middle Class Wooed With Revision in Tax Slabs.

Here’s a look at who said what on the Interim Union Budget tabled in Parliament today:

Sumitra Mahajan, Lok Sabha Speaker:

"This budget is for everyone and is a good one. Work will go on like this."

Arun Jaitley, Union Finance Minister:

"My compliments to Shri Piyush Goyal for delivering an excellent Budget. The Budget furthers the agenda of the Government headed by Prime Minister Shri Nrendramodi ji to comprehensively address the challenges of the economy. The Budget expands spending while pragmatically sticking to fiscal prudence."

Ravi Shankar Prasad, Union Law Minister:

Rajnath Singh, Union Home Minister:

“It’s a historic budget, and all the sections of the society will benefit from it.”

Radha Mohan Singh, Union Minister:

“We have also issued guidelines for Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi scheme. In 2018-19 financial year, for months before March, Rs 2000 will be transferred to farmers' accounts, and in the financial year 2019-20 farmers will get Rs 6000.”

Smriti Irani, Union Minister:

"Vision 2030 outlined by Piyush Goyal ji reiterates PM Narendra Modi ji’s mantra of ‘Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas’ and takes forward the core values of BJP Government for an inclusive and progressive New India."

Kiren Rijiju, Union Minister:

"Amazing Budget 2019 by Piyush Goyal ji. Thanks to PM Narendra Modi ji for such huge historic benefits & reliefs for the farmers, salaried class, middle class, SC/ST categories, old age, women, labourers & people of North East India. A strong foundation for New India is laid."

Dharmendra Pradhan, Union Minister:

Rahul Gandhi, Congress president:

"Dear NoMo, 5 years of your incompetence and arrogance has destroyed the lives of our farmers. Giving them Rs. 17 a day is an insult to everything they stand and work for."

P Chidambaram, Former Union Finance Minister:

"The Interim Finance Minister tested our patience by the longest interim budget speech in the recent memory. It was not an interim budget, it was a full fledged budget accompanied by an election campaign speech."

Yogi Adityanath, Chief Minister, Uttar Pradesh:

All sections of the society including farmers, middle-class, poor and women have been mentioned in this budget. This budget will help achieve the dream of a 'new India'.

Shashi Tharoor, Congress Parliamentarian from Thiruvananthapuram:

“The whole exercise has turned out to be a damn squib. We've seen one good thing that is tax exemption for the middle class. Rs 6000 in income support for farmers boils down to Rs 500 per month. Is that supposed to enable them to live with the honour & dignity?”

HD Kumaraswamy, Karnataka CM:

"I want to ask if this budget was prepared by officials of Finance dept or RSS? In this budget, Narendra Modi has given cotton candy for farmers. When I announced loan waiver scheme, PM mocked it as lollipop. Friends of BJP have prepared this budget."

Mamata Banerjee, West Bengal CM:

"This government has no moral authority or responsibility to place the budget for 5 years when they'll not be in power; the govt will go for expiry. After expiry, if you give medicine, is there any value? What will be the value? This is absolutely valueless."

Amit Shah, BJP president:

Akhilesh Yadav, Samajwadi Party president:

Ram Madhav, National General Secretary, Bharatiya Janata Party:

"This budget reflects the commitment of our government to the welfare of the ordinary citizens of our country including the farmers, workers and middle class earners; and demonstrates the confidence in effectively managing economy with greater tax relief and higher tax compliance."

Other than politicians, even corporate giants expressed their views on Twitter. Here's what Anand Mahindra, Chairman of Mahindra Group said:

“Before any discussion on the numbers around the budget, it’s clear that if anyone were to ask ‘How high was Piyush Goyal’s Josh?’ the answer would not be in doubt...”

 

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Feb 01, 2019 02:00 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).