Opposition Slams CM Omar Abdullah’s Second Budget as “Loud but Hollow” Basit Bashir, State Vice President, termed Chief Minister Omar Abdullah’s second budget a “loud but hollow exercise”, alleging that it exposed the government’s lack of vision, intent and delivery within hours of its presentation. He said the Chief Minister spoke at length but failed to provide substance, calling the budget “empty noise” with no real impact on people’s lives. Bashir said the opposition has widely criticised the budget as misleading and a complete failure, accusing the government of repackaging old schemes under new labels while abandoning pre-poll promises. He remarked that what was promised before elections has vanished after assuming office and that the budget looks attractive only on paper without offering tangible relief on the ground. He further claimed that barely 5 to 7 percent of the population would benefit, describing it as “eyewash” rather than welfare. According to him, the budget merely echoes centrally sponsored schemes and lacks any Jammu and Kashmir–specific roadmap, reflecting copy-paste governance instead of policy innovation for local needs.