Both BJP and the CPM lashed out at the UPA government’s budget in Rajya Sabha on Monday, even as the ruling Congress was seen stoutly defending it. The BJP called the Budget “unrealistic and without any direction”, while CPM said that the UPA government had kept “profit before people” in the Budget. Congress, however, said that the budget was a bold document prepared amid global financial crisis.

BJP’s Venkaiah Naidu, who started the debate in Rajya Sabha, said, “The big ticket reforms are missing and there is nothing for the short term. The Budget is unrealistic. It is a clear case of economic mismanagement ... The deficit is mind boggling.”

Claiming the “mindset of the government is not development-oriented” even as there are no roadblocks before the ‘UPA-II’ to pursue a sound economic policy, he said the Budget does not address the issues of price rise, loss of jobs and employment, crisis in the agricultural sector, global meltdown and internal security.“People are weeping while the government is sleeping,” the senior BJP leader said in his characteristic alliteration in speech.

Though he welcomed the Rs 500 crore grant for rehabilitation of Tamil refugees.

Sitaram Yechury (CPM) said the Budget did not match the concern expressed for aam aadmi and the allocations made for them. “The philosophy of this Budget is putting profit before people and not people before profit,” he said adding there was a contrast between “Shining India” and “Suffering India”.

He also warned against “gross neglect” of agriculture when the country is facing drought threat.