Opposition members in the Lok Sabha expressed their concerns over low per capita income, growing inequality, and unemployment while speaking on the Union Budget. “No economy can grow in an atmosphere of fear and hatred,” Congress MP K.C. Venugopal said, taking part in the debate on the Union Budget.
Mr. Venugopal claimed that as many as 80 churches had been attacked during the 2025 Christmas season, and referred to a controversial statement by a Chief Minister targeting a minority group in his State. The name of the CM was removed from the record of the proceedings.
“No nation can prosper when communities are divided. Today (February 11, 2026), hate is becoming a normalised situation in the country. State-sponsored terror in the name of what is proudly called as ‘bulldozer raj’ has become a political tool,” he said.
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Mr. Venugopal also flagged the issue of the Indian rupee crossing the ₹91 mark against the U.S. dollar, unemployment rate among urban youth reaching 18%, and the top 10% of the population controlling 58% of the country’s resources. The rights-based approach of the United Progressive Alliance (UPA), reflected in laws, including the erstwhile Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), Right to Information (RTI) Act, and the Forest Rights Act, are being diluted or taken away.
