Tuesday, February 28 2006 21:36 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New Delhi:: The main Opposition BJP today(Feb 28,2006) slammed the Budget for 'ignoring farmers, punishing the middle class and gladdening only the affluent.'

"At a time when suicides by farmers have assumed alarming dimensions, a Budget that callously ignores the kisans deserves all round condemnation. It is a Budget that ignores the kisans, punishes the middle class and gladdens only the affluent," Leader of Opposition L K Advani said in a statement here.

The BJP-led NDA Government, he said, had successfully unleashed India's creative energies through all round infrastructure growth and low inflation that ensured that not only prices of essential commodities were held down but also low interest rates were maintained.

"All this was achieved while keeping ax rates low. This Budget has reversed all these gains. The economic survey identified infrastructure and inflation as the biggest concerns for the economy," he said.

"The Budget has chosen to ignore both these warnings. The Government which tom-toms its so-called commitment to the 'Aam Aadmi' (common man) has provided only Rs 4000 crores just one per cent of the Budget for agriculture, which contributes 24 per cent of India's GDP", he said.