New Delhi, March 16.: The Jan Sangh leader, Mr. A. B. Vajpayee, commenting on the Union Budget said it was an “andhera badao” (spread darkness) budget and there was need for “deepak jalao” (spread light). He added: “There is no hope of price stability and accelerated economic growth and reduction in economic disparities. This is also a highly inflationary budget.” Mr. N. G. Goray (Socialist) said the levies on kerosene and fertilizers would hit the rural masses and hoped the Government would either remove them or reduce them. Mr. Bhupesh Gupta (CPI) said the impact of the popular mandate seemed to have somewhat restrained the usual budgetary onslaught on the common man. But it had not inspired the Finance Minister to hit monopoly capital and wealth. The “garibi hatao” slogan seemed to have been forgotten, he said.
