Jammu and Kashmir People’s Conference (PC) President and Handwara MLA, Sajad Lone, launched a sharp critique of the recently presented state Budget. He called it a \”politically motivated exercise\” that lacks financial viability. Lone pointed to contradictions in the government’s approach, remarking, \”These are the same schemes and policies that were once criticised but are now being hailed as transformative\” He also criticised the one per cent tax hike, saying, \”This amounts to an additional burden of Rs 1,000 crore, which will be extracted from the pockets of the lowest 30 per cent of the population. The impact of this will be most severe on the lowest 20 per cent\” He said the Budget echoes the ‘Naya Kashmir’ narrative and discourse championed by Prime Minister Modi and the BJP, which has been aggressively pushed post-August 5, 2019. He also raised alarm over the dramatic increase in asset monetisation, asking, \”What assets are being monetised? This House has a right to know, as seven per cent is a massive sum\”