New Delhi: At least four chief ministers, including three from the Congress, are set to boycott the NITI Aayog meeting scheduled for July 27 in protest against the “discriminatory” Union budget, presented by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Tuesday. Tamil Nadu CM M K Stalin announced this boycott, and Congress general secretary K C Venugopal echoed these sentiments, criticizing the budget as discriminatory and harmful to federal principles.
Their protest underscores a broader dissatisfaction with what they perceive as the central government’s disregard for federalism and fairness in fiscal policies. The NITI Aayog meeting, traditionally a platform for discussing development agendas between the Centre and states, is being seen by the boycotting CMs as an attempt to overshadow legitimate concerns about the budget’s impact on states.
The language used by CM Stalin and Congress leaders suggests a deep-seated concern over the implications of the budgetary measures on states’ autonomy and welfare. Their stance reflects a political strategy to challenge what they view as the central government’s unilateral and detrimental approach to fiscal governance.
