Language no bar? Not quite, says PJP MLA Bachchu Kadu

First India Bureau

Mumbai: While most reactions to the Union Budget presented by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman have been predictable, split along partisan lines, Prahar Janshakti Party lawmaker Bachchu Kadu had an unusual complaint, focusing instead more on the fact that the speech was in English.

“The Budget is very good, but it left out the part related to farmers,

The most unfortunate thing is that it was presented in English. If you can’t speak Hindi, then someone else should present that Budget.

—Bachchu Kadu, MLA

labourers and housing for the homeless. Also, there aren’t many provisions to improve the healthcare system. However, the most un -

DCP Jadhav of EOW revoked LOC against Rizvi illegally?

Renni Abraham

Mumbai: The Bombay High Court on Wednesday ordered Mumbai realtor Akhtar Hasan Rizvi to return to India by February 15, 2023, over charges of embezzlement and fraud.

It also expressed surprise when informed that Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Prakash Jadhav, attached to the Economic Offences Wing (EOW) of the Mumbai Crime Branch, had amended an existing look out notice (LOC) that allowed Rizvi to flee the country in November 2022.

Special Public Prosecutor (SPP) Raja Thackeray and the advocate on board Bharat Manghani contested Rizvi’s anticipatory bail application by pointing out identical averments regarding his health that was not accepted by the sessions court.

Manghani said, “As far as a LOC is concerned, there is no pro-

Bombay HC orders Mumbai realtor to return to India by February 15, 2022 vision to temporarily revoke it. IPS rank officers may only revoke the LOC if there is legal ground to do so. The accused had attempted to leave India in October 2022 and was prevented by immigration authorities due to the LOC.” When contacted, Rizvi said, “I will not be able to talk. I am out of town, as you are aware. I will go by the court’s decisions.” fortunate thing is that it was presented in English. If you can’t speak Hindi, then someone else should present that Budget,”

“The BJP government at the centre releases big numbers every year. However, those announcements are not being implemented. It was earlier announced that they would double the income of farmers by 2022. In fact, compared to UPA-1 and UPA-2, the rate of increase in guaranteed prices has reduced considerably. It was said that by 2022, everyone would have their own home. They have increased the expenditure of the Prime Minister's Awas Yojana in this year’s budget but there is no response from the central government regarding the announcements made earlier,” added Chavan.

All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen MP Imtiaz Jaleel called it an election budget.

First India Bureau Mumbai: Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Assembly and Nationalist Congress Party leader Ajit Pawar said the Union Budget for 2023-24 has “destroyed the concept of the welfare state”. He also said the “bogus” Budget was an attempt at electioneering ahead of the Lok Sabha elections scheduled in nine states.

“This budget is a ‘Chunavi Jumla’,” he said, adding “There is a pretence of increasing the exemption limit of income tax to appease the middle class, but there is no concrete provision for the social security of the middle class.” He also raised the question of past promises.

“The country’s GDP growth rate has only risen 3% on average between 2018 and 2022 The old announcement that the country's

All Eyes On Budget

Ajit Pawar

economy will be 5 trillion dollars is renewed means that the Central government itself has admitted its incompetence,” he said.

“What happened to the promise of providing 2 crore jobs every year has not been answered in this budget,” he added. “The finance minister announced that mobiles and electronics will become cheaper. However, the Central government conveniently forgot to reduce taxes on essential commodities,” the NCP leader also said. he told reporters here.

“The national language of this country is Hindi and you should speak in the House in the language that elected you so that the common man can understand it. The national language has been insulted by presenting the budget in English. We should correct this insult. We are going to write a letter to Prime Minister Modi that next year’s Budget should be presented in Hindi,” the MLA said.