Amit Mitra Telegraph Picture

Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee has termed the Union budget an effort to ambush the legacy of India’s “public establishments” as she criticised the BJP-led Centre for its proposal to sell shares in LIC.

“I am shocked and appalled to see how the central government plans to ambush the heritage and legacy of public institutions. It’s the end of a sense of security. Is it also the end of an era?” Mamata tweeted.

Trinamul insiders said the party’s opposition to the Centre’s divestment initiatives had received public support. They said Mamata could intensify her protest against the privatisation spree in the run-up to the crucial 2021 Assembly elections.

A minister said Mamata knew that almost 60 per cent of families in Bengal had at least one LIC policy. “People will feel insecure because of this budget proposal,” he said.

Criticising the budget, Bengal finance minister Amit Mitra said the Narendra Modi government had sent the Indian economy into ventilation as it had overlooked basic requirements.

“Our GDP growth rate is 11 years low and the investment figure of the country is 17 years low. While private consumption is seven years low, agriculture output is four years low. But none of the areas was addressed in the budget,” Mitra said in a video message.

The finance minister also questioned the cut in allocations for health, education, SC/ST development and agriculture.

He pointed out that the Centre had put the rural poor and the common people in trouble by cutting allocation in the 100-day job scheme and the national health mission.

“The real problem of the country at this moment is unemployment…. But we did not hear anything about employment opportunities in the budget,” Mitra said.