Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], March 7 (ANI): The opposition BJP has protested the State budget presented on Friday by CM Siddaramaih dubbing it a ' Halal' budget and accusing the state of appeasemnt,

Now, Karnataka, minister Priyank Kharge has hit back and said that the BJP has run out of ideas and its leadership is incompetent. Kharge said that the state is currently number two in forex direct investment, so is that also the so-called 'halal budget'?

Furthermore, Priyank Kharge stated that the BJP people are talking nonsense, due to which they are incompetent. He added that the opposition is unable to decipher the budget themselves due to which they are doing such things.

'The (BJP) are running out of ideas. This leadership of BJP is incompetent, and that's why they're saying that. Karnataka is number two in forex direct investment. So, that's also the 'halal budget' that is coming in. What nonsense are these people doing? They're incompetent. They are unable to decipher the budget for themselves. So, they are doing all these things...', Priyank Kharge said while speaking to ANI on Friday.

Congress leader Ajay Singh praised the Karnataka Budget, calling it a 'historical Budget.' He noted that this was Siddaramaiah's 16th Budget, with an impressive allocation of Rs. 4,09,549 crore, the first time the Budget crossed the 4 lakh mark. Singh emphasised that all the guarantees made by the government are being implemented, ensuring growth and development. 'We have the funds, and we are focusing on infrastructure, particularly roads.'

The BJP has termed the budget a 'scam' and accused the Congress of playing vote-bank politics with the state's resources.

Taking to X BJP Karnataka mentioned the benefits given to the Muslim community: 'The Budget includes, reservation for Muslims in government contracts, Rs 50,000 assistance for Muslim simple weddings, Rs 150 crore for infrastructure development of Waqf properties and graveyards, Rs 50 lakh for Muslim cultural programmes, New ITI college to be set up in Muslim-dominated areas, 50 per cent fee concession for Muslim students under KEA, Residential PU college for Muslim girls in Ullal town, Increase in national and foreign scholarships for Muslim student, expansion of Bengaluru's Haj Bhavan with additional buildings, self-defense training for Muslim girl students.'

Earlier, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah presented the Budget claiming that the state government has maintained fiscal deficit of the state for the financial year 2025-26. (ANI)