Budget 2025: Opposition stages symbolic walk out over Maha Kumbh stampede as FM Nirmala Sitharaman delivers record 8th budget

Members of Parliament from the opposition parties staged a 'symbolic' walk out in the Lok Sabha as finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman began reading out her record 8th budgetary speech, on Saturday.


She began her budgetary speech amid protests by Samajwadi Party MPs, including party chief Akhilesh Yadav, who demanded in Parliament that the government release the list of people who lost their lives in the Mahakumbh stampede.

Following this, opposition parties demanded a discussion on the stampede and walked out to mark their protest.

Also Read: 'No tax till income upto Rs 12 lakh per year', says FM Sitharaman

More important than budget: Akhilesh Yadav

Speaking to reporters after walking out, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav said: "There is a more important thing than budget at the moment - people in Maha Kumbh are still looking and searching for their relatives. The CM has been there many times, the Union Home Minister has gone there, the Vice President is going today and the Prime Minister will also go there - in a Maha Kumbh where many people died and the govt has failed to provide the numbers of deceased and those who are missing... Hindus have lost their lives - the govt must wake up - I said earlier as well to call the Army there. This has been the first time that saints have denied having Shahi (Amrit) Snan."

Symbolic walk out

It was a symbolic walk out, and all the MPs who left the House joined the ongoing Lok Sabha budget session.

The opposition has termed Budget 2025 "biased", favouring states governed by the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA), such as Bihar.

Also Read: Fiscal deficit target pegged at 4.4%, no income tax on income upto 12 lakhs, govt to introduce new I-T bill in Parliament next week

The allegation drew a sharp response from Sitharaman who rejected the charge as "outrageous".

Opposition leaders, including Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge have criticised the budget for neglecting states not aligned with the NDA and claimed it was an "anti-people" document that failed to provide justice to various regions.

This budget is particularly significant as it represents the first full-year budget of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's third term.

Sitharaman's approach is expected to balance growth initiatives with fiscal responsibility, reflecting the government's ongoing commitment to economic stability in a challenging global environment

Get real-time updates on Budget 2025 and Income Tax Slabs on Times of India. Check out the latest income tax slabs FY 2025-26.