Una, Feb. 1 -- Deputy Chief Minister Mukesh Agnihotri on Sunday strongly reacted to the central government's budget, calling it a direct "betrayal of Himachal Pradesh's interests".

He said that the budget has done an injustice to Himachal Pradesh and has completely ignored the special geographical and economic circumstances of the hill states.

The Deputy Chief Minister said that this attitude of the central government is contrary to the spirit of the federal structure, which will have a direct and serious impact on the state's development, welfare schemes, and financial stability.

Mukesh Agnihotri said, "The discontinuation of special grants given to hill states like the North East, Jammu and Kashmir, and Himachal Pradesh will not only...