Sans red rags for oppn, FM tables ‘quieter’ Union Budget 2026

It was a contrast that no previous Budget had possibly produced — a constant thrum of perfunctory desk thumping by treasury benches and a total silence from the opposition. The just short of 90-minute speech by FM Nirmala Sitharaman was a sedate affair that did not evoke emotions, even though a charged opposition had reportedly planned short bursts of protests at the mention of ‘red rags’ like job schemes, just as it happened in the President’s joint address earlier this week.SP chief Akhilesh Yadav arrived in the Lok Sabha when the House was practically empty. PM Modi walked in to the usual chants of Bharat Mata Ki Jai, etc. BJP biggies Modi, Rajnath Singh, Amit Shah and Shivraj Chouhan occupied the front chairs. But just when Sitharaman started her speech, LOP Rahul Gandhi walked in briskly, making some mistakenly believe the applause from the BJP benches was for him. It quickly dawned that the appreciation was for the FM’s 9th consecutive budget speech. The ruling benches were packed; the opposition side had many empty chairs.It was all set up. But contrary to the past budgets of the BJP rule, or B-days in general, the proceedings wore a quiet look. BJP benches regularly beat the desk, often taking a cue from the PM, while the opposition sat quietly, not even the usual one-word hoots or sighs that have been the staple of Feb1 speeches. The silence only broke 24 minutes later when DMK’s Dayanidhi Maran reacted to the name “Chennai” in the context of a scheme, and an MP asked, “(What about) Kerala?” Much later, Maran again muttered something when NIMHANS for North India was mentioned.It was quiet because there was no provocation, like the buzzwords that are constant for all speeches — youth, Dalits, tribals, backwards, employment, farmers. If any of them were mentioned, they were nicely assimilated among the words and scattered across the speech. And without any rhetorical flourish. Perhaps, the upper caste protests over the “UGC rules” brought caution. If the President’s address was any indication, the opposition would have remonstrated if MGNREGA or controversial G RAM G were mentioned. But they were not. Even the anticipated special stress on poll-bound states like TN, Kerala, and West Bengal was missing.Amid the continuing rhythm of Sitharaman’s words, NDA benches clapped, and the opposition’s radio silence, the FM segued to Part B of the speech on taxes after 55 minutes. And suddenly, at 12.25 pm, he commended the Budget to the House, to louder thumping of desks and the usual rush of MPs to compliment the FM. It was then that Kodikunnil Suresh and K C Venguopal of Congress shouted a few words, complaining there was nothing for Kerala. But by then, it was all over.