The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has found a communal angle in Budget 2008-09 with which it aims to rejuvenate its Hindutva agenda.
Former finance minister Yashwant Sinha, who tabled six successive Budgets during the rule of the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance, noted that finance minister P Chidambaram made specific mention of recruiting more Muslims in the central paramilitary forces in tune with the Justice Rajindar Sachar Committee's recommendations.
"What has the Budget to do with Sachar committee recommendations? How can recruitment figure in a budget?" Sinha said.
"This is for the first time in the history of Indian budget that a finance minister has announced benefits on religious lines and given a communal reflection in it," said Sinha, who has the distinction of having tabled one Budget more than Chidambaram.
He was here to address three separate meetings of chambers of business.
"We will go to the people telling that we will just reverse it when we come to power. Any budgetary programme announced will be beneficial for all section of minorities and not of a particular community," Sinha said.
He said while the budget has shown a fiscal deficit of 2.5% of the GDP, it has concealed the deficits on the account of food, oil and fertiliser subsidies, the load of the sixth pay commission---- Rs 30,000 crore at least in 2008-09 --- and the Rs 60,000-crore farm loan waiver.
The Fifth Pay Commission had an impact of Rs 200,000 crore, Sinha pointed out.
http://in.news.yahoo.com/financialexpress/20080305/r_t_fe_bs_budget08/tbs-yashwant-sinha-sees-communal-colour-7435665.html
Former finance minister Yashwant Sinha, who tabled six successive Budgets during the rule of the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance, noted that finance minister P Chidambaram made specific mention of recruiting more Muslims in the central paramilitary forces in tune with the Justice Rajindar Sachar Committee's recommendations.
"What has the Budget to do with Sachar committee recommendations? How can recruitment figure in a budget?" Sinha said.
"This is for the first time in the history of Indian budget that a finance minister has announced benefits on religious lines and given a communal reflection in it," said Sinha, who has the distinction of having tabled one Budget more than Chidambaram.
He was here to address three separate meetings of chambers of business.
"We will go to the people telling that we will just reverse it when we come to power. Any budgetary programme announced will be beneficial for all section of minorities and not of a particular community," Sinha said.
He said while the budget has shown a fiscal deficit of 2.5% of the GDP, it has concealed the deficits on the account of food, oil and fertiliser subsidies, the load of the sixth pay commission---- Rs 30,000 crore at least in 2008-09 --- and the Rs 60,000-crore farm loan waiver.
The Fifth Pay Commission had an impact of Rs 200,000 crore, Sinha pointed out.
http://in.news.yahoo.com/financialexpress/20080305/r_t_fe_bs_budget08/tbs-yashwant-sinha-sees-communal-colour-7435665.html
