New Delhi:
The middle class is a victim of tax terrorism and has been reduced to the government’s ATM, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Arvind Kejriwal said today. Mr Kejriwal, whose outreach to middle class comes two weeks ahead of the February 5 election in Delhi, also listed seven Budget demands from the Centre that AAP MPs will raise in Parliament for the interests of the middle class.
“Some poll promises are made for the underprivileged classes, and some for a few industrialists. On the grounds of caste and religion, other parties have created a vote bank. And they need donations from industrialists, so they are the note bank. Between this vote bank and note bank, a large section is sandwiched. This is India’s middle class,” he said in a video message.
Mr Kejriwal said successive governments after Independence have crushed and squeezed the middle class. “The relationship between the government and the middle class is strange. They don’t do anything for the middle class. But whenever the government needs to, they target the middle class through tax. Middle class pays huge taxes, but gets nothing in return. India’s middle class has been reduced to the government’s ATM. It is a victim of tax terrorism,” he said.
The middle class, he said, does not have very big demands. “They want a good job or business, a house of their own, quality education for their children. They just want health and safety for their family. He only hopes for a little help from the government. But the government is making neither schools nor hospitals, it is not creating jobs and not ensuring safety either,” he said.
Mr Kejriwal said that if all taxes are added up, a middle class person gives more than 50 per cent of his income to the government. “How can he/she dare to fulfill their dreams amid this tax terrorism? The truth is that for a young middle class couple, family planning has now become a financial decision. Before having a child, they ask themselves if they can afford the upbringing. Where have we reached,” he said, adding that people were leaving the country due to high taxes.
Mr Kejriwal said the AAP government in Delhi spends the people’s money for their welfare. He underlined that Delhi government hiked the education budget, transformed state-run schools and also barred private schools from increasing fees. “We lowered power and water bills to shield you from inflation. Delhi residents get the cheapest power among all major cities,” he said. The AAP leader also showcased Delhi government’s work in the healthcare sector and said the highest demand for mohalla clinics are in middle-class residential areas.
Mr Kejriwal appealed to the Centre to identify middle class as the country’s real superpower and provide them relief in the upcoming Budget. He said AAP MPs would raise middle class’ issues in Parliament and listed seven demands. The demands include a hike in the education budget, a countrywide cap on private schools’ fee, subsidy for higher education, a hike in health budget and tax removal from health insurance premiums and zero tax on an annual income of up to Rs 10 lakh. Mr Kejriwal also demanded that GST be removed from essential commodities, robust retirement plans, free treatment and 50 per cent concession on train travel for senior citizens.
Responding to Mr Kejriwal’s remarks, BJP spokesperson RP Singh said, “What has he given to middle class? He promised free WiFi, where is it? he promised clean water for free. Where is water free? every household uses an RO machine. He had admitted he couldn’t provide clean water. He is talking about education, every year, more than 1.5 lakh students are made to drop out in Classes 9 and 11 to improve their board results. What about their future?”
“He is talking rubbish to fool people, but this won’t work again and again,” the BJP leader said.
