Hardeep Singh Puri’s Claims on Union Budget Are Baseless: Suryakant Dha

By :- Sandhya Sati
Dehradun: 07 Feb 2026
Reacting to the press conference held in Dehradun by Union Petroleum Minister Sardar Hardeep Singh Puri, AICC member and Senior Vice President of the Uttarakhand Pradesh Congress Committee, Suryakant Dhasmana, said that the claims being made by the Union government regarding the country’s economic management are misleading, artificial, and far from reality.
Speaking to mediapersons at his camp office, Dhasmana said that the continuously weakening Indian rupee against the US dollar clearly exposes the fragile state of the economy. He pointed out that for a long time the rupee has crossed the level of ₹90 per dollar, while the steep rise in gold and silver prices further indicates deteriorating economic health.
He alleged that despite these ground realities, the central government is presenting false and fabricated figures to create an illusion of economic stability. “The reality on the ground is completely different from what is being projected,” he said.
Criticising the Union Budget, Dhasmana stated that in the 2006–27 budget, the central government effectively weakened a revolutionary rural employment scheme like MGNREGA, and instead proposed schemes such as ‘GRMJ’ (as claimed), whose implementation and continuity carry no guarantee. He also accused the government of systematically weakening crucial sectors like agriculture and education.
Dhasmana further said that the government lacks any clear vision for science, technology, research, and higher education, which are essential for the country’s long-term development.
Taking a sharp dig at the petroleum sector, he said that ONGC, the backbone of India’s oil and gas industry, is itself under threat. “The central government is more interested in strengthening corporate houses like Ambani and Adani, rather than empowering public sector giants like ONGC and GAIL,” he alleged.
Summing up his remarks, Suryakant Dhasmana termed the Union Budget 2026 as completely disappointing and said it has failed to address the real economic challenges facing the country.