In a scathing takedown of the BJP-ruled Delhi government budget, Leader of Opposition (LoP) in Delhi Assembly Atishi charged the BJP government with peddling falsehoods and presenting inflated figures to mislead the public. Armed with budget documents from both the Centre and the Delhi government, she revealed that the actual budget stands at only ₹78,000 crore—not the ₹1 lakh crore touted by the BJP.
Highlighting a shortfall of ₹5,000 crore in tax collection, a reduced loan allocation from the National Small Saving Fund (NSSF), and missing funds from the Centre, Atishi likened the BJP’s budget to a political ‘jumla’. “Earlier, Modi ji promised ₹15 lakh in every Indian’s account—now, the BJP government is fooling Delhi with a bogus budget,” she declared, branding the administration as ‘jumlabaaz.’
Senior AAP leader and LoP Atishi, while addressing the Delhi Assembly during the budget discussion, strongly criticized the BJP-led Delhi government’s budget, calling it a fraudulent exercise built on baseless projections and misleading claims.
Atishi stated that the budget makes it clear why the BJP is often jokingly referred to as the “Bhartiya Jumla Party.” She pointed out how PM Narendra Modi initially made grand promises like depositing ₹15 lakh into people’s accounts, later shifting to smaller ones like giving ₹2,500 to Delhi’s women.
“This time, the BJP has taken a new approach—introducing historic ‘jumlas’ regarding the sources of government revenue. The budget lacks clarity on where tax and revenue will come from, and the BJP-led Delhi government has resorted to blatant falsehoods,” she said.
She questioned why the BJP government did not present an economic survey before the budget, a practice followed since 1951. “The economic survey gives an insight into economic trends in real estate, services, and trade, which form the basis for GDP growth projections. Even Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman presented the central government’s economic survey, which projected a 6.5% GDP growth. However, Delhi’s budget projects ₹68,700 crore in tax revenue without any economic survey to justify this figure. Had the survey been presented, it would have exposed how baseless this estimate is,” Atishi added.
Atishi questioned how Delhi’s tax revenue could increase by over 20% when the projected GDP growth for the entire country is just 6.5%. She warned BJP MLAs that the ₹1 lakh crore budget is an illusion, and funds will not materialize. Even the Speaker of the Uttar Pradesh Assembly, Satish Mahana, who recently visited the Delhi Assembly, expressed shock when asked whether a budget could be presented without an economic survey.
Atishi estimated that Delhi’s tax collection would be at least ₹5,000 crore lower than projected, reducing the actual budget to ₹95,000 crore. She further explained that Delhi, unlike other states, cannot take loans freely and is limited to borrowing from the National Small Savings Fund (NSSF). The Delhi government has claimed it will borrow ₹15,000 crore from the NSSF, which would require a minimum fund balance of ₹30,000 crore.
The Delhi Assembly LoP further noted that however, data presented in the Rajya Sabha by Minister Pankaj Chaudhary showed that Delhi’s small savings deposits have been declining—from ₹10,000 crore earlier to ₹8,000 crore in 2020-21, and down to just ₹5,000 crore by the end of 2023. This means Delhi can borrow a maximum of ₹5,000 crore, making the ₹15,000 crore loan claim completely fraudulent. As a result, the ₹1 lakh crore budget shrinks further to ₹85,000 crore.
Atishi also exposed the BJP’s false claims about receiving funds from the central government. She highlighted that while AAP’s government received ₹951 crore on paper from the Centre (which was not even disbursed in the last two years), the BJP-led central government has allocated massive funds to states where it needs political allies—₹1.43 lakh crore for Bihar and ₹60,000 crore for Andhra Pradesh. However, Delhi’s name is missing from the central budget.
She pointed out that the Delhi budget claims ₹1,000 crore will come from the Central Road and Infrastructure Fund, but the central government’s budget under Demand No. 86 allocates only ₹396 crore for all Union Territories, including Delhi, Ladakh, Jammu & Kashmir, and Puducherry. “How the BJP’s Delhi government expects to secure ₹1,000 crore from a ₹396 crore fund remains a mystery. Under AAP, at least funds were allocated on paper—now, the BJP government is claiming funds that don’t even exist,” Atishi remarked.
Atishi reviewed the 2025-26 Demand for Grants from the central government, expecting to find ₹6,000 crore allocated for Delhi’s capital works. Instead, she found that Delhi’s central budget allocation remains at ₹951 crore. The claim of ₹6,000 crore is a complete fabrication. With a ₹5,000 crore shortfall in tax revenue, ₹10,000 crore less in loans, and ₹7,000 crore missing from central funding, Delhi’s actual budget is down to ₹78,000 crore.
“The BJP accused AAP of reducing the budget, but it is actually the BJP that has cut Delhi’s budget. The people of Delhi need to know the truth—Delhi’s budget is only ₹78,000 crore, and the BJP’s ₹1 lakh crore claim is an inflated illusion,” Atishi asserted.
Atishi further criticized the BJP government for creating the highest fiscal deficit in Delhi’s history. “The budget itself states that Delhi will face a ₹13,702 crore fiscal deficit in 2025-26—the highest ever. While the BJP’s budget is built on empty promises, the fiscal deficit is very real,” she said.
Despite these financial inconsistencies, the government is cutting funding for crucial services: The budget for Delhi Cancer Institute, Chacha Nehru Hospital, Maulana Azad Medical College, Acharya Bhikshu Hospital, Lal Bahadur Shastri Hospital, and Guru Gobind Singh Hospital has been reduced by ₹65 crore. The budget for CATS (Centralised Accident and Trauma Services) ambulances has been slashed by ₹25 crore.
“Unauthorized colonies have faced a ₹500 crore cut. Athletes’ incentives have been reduced by ₹30 crore. Disability pensions have been cut by ₹35 crore. The budget for Anganwadi nutritional supplements has been reduced by ₹100 crore. The budget for children’s homes has been slashed by ₹100 crore,” said the Delhi Assembly LoP.
Atishi concluded that the BJP’s budget is nothing but history’s biggest “jumla.” “For the first time, a government is openly lying about its revenue sources. These lies will be exposed within a month or a year, yet they continue to mislead. A ₹78,000 crore budget is being falsely projected as ₹1 lakh crore, while essential sectors like education, healthcare, sports, children’s welfare, and Anganwadis are being systematically dismantled,” she said.
“This budget is a fraud, and the BJP’s claims will collapse soon. The people of Delhi must not be deceived by inflated figures and empty promises,” asserted the Delhi Assembly LoP.
