Rajnath slams Budget

Sidhi, Madhya Pradesh, Mar 1 (UNI) Describing the Union Budget for 2007-08 as ''disappointing,'' Bharatiya Janata Party President Rajnath Singh today alleged that the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance regime devised no method to check the price rise.

''The common man is disappointed. The Congress learnt no lesson even after losing Punjab and Uttarakhand,'' he said at the local airstrip. Mr Singh was here to address a meeting in support of the BJP candidate contesting the March 8 parliamentary bypoll.

Pointing out that the Centre proposed to halt futures trading only for wheat and rice, he added that other essential commodities were still kept within the futures purview.

''The BJP has been demanding that all essential commodities be kept out of futures trading. The Minister turned Nelson's eye on recommendations to reduce interest on agricultural loans to four per cent,'' Mr Singh said.

The BJP leader said that employees were dejected as Rs 69,000 crore of additional taxes were imposed and added that an attempt was made to offer a lollipop to the salaried class by slightly raising the Income Tax exemption limit.

UNI