Mamata slams Budget calling it "Humpty-Dumpty budget", claims Bengal ignored

In a scathing review of the Union Budget 2026–27, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has termed the document a "Humpty-Dumpty budget" that is destined for a great fall. Speaking shortly after Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman’s speech, Banerjee accused the Center of presenting a "garbage of lies" that completely ignores the needs of the common man, farmers, and the youth. She highlighted the immediate negative reaction of the markets—with the Sensex tumbling over 1,100 points—as proof that the budget has failed to inspire confidence or provide a roadmap for an economy she describes as "totally derailed."

The Chief Minister was particularly vocal about the perceived "deprivation" of West Bengal, claiming the state did not receive a single penny in new developmental funds despite the Center collecting over ₹2 lakh crore in taxes from the region. She dismissed the announcement of three new economic corridors as a repackaging of existing state projects, noting that Bengal has already been working on six such corridors connecting hubs like Dankuni, Purulia, and Siliguri. Banerjee also took credit for the Dankuni-Surat freight corridor, stating it was her original vision from the 2009 Railway Budget that the Center has kept pending for 15 years.

Mamata Banerjee also touched upon sensitive cultural and electoral issues, criticizing the redevelopment projects at Varanasi’s Manikarnika Ghat. She alleged that by sidelining local residents to bring in outside contractors, the government is essentially "making a Disneyland in Kashi," which she views as an affront to the city's ancient heritage.