‘Bahikhaata’ budget angers middle class on social media

July 5, 2019

New Delhi: The moment after the “bahikhaata” Union Budget was presented on Friday, people took to social media platforms that erupted with angry and perplexed reactions.

“Your folder is sanskaari, symbolising ‘departure from slavery of western thought’, but your aspirations are 3 trillion ‘US DOLLARS’ economy, huh hypocrite!” tweeted a user.

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced that the government aims to increase the present $2.7 trillion economy to $5 trillion by 2025.

“Instead of making US dollar a bench mark of aspirational currency, why not work on making Indian Rupee stronger?” another user posted.

Another social media user shared the lines from an old song: “Achcha sila diya tune mere pyar ka”.

The middle class literally wailed when the petrol prices shot up by Rs 2.50 per litre, diesel prices hiked up by Rs 2.30 per litre just hours after the union budget was presented.

“This has been one of the poorest budgets for common honest tax payer and middle class. You are bound to lose many supporters,” a user wrote in reply to former finance minister Arun Jaitley’s tweet on the budget.

“Petrol prices, diesel prices higher. What are the benefits for honest tax payers? What is the tax benefit, pension benefit, gratuity amount holding by corporate companies?? You really care for honest people (Salaried)?” another person tweeted.

The budget also announced that for I-T returns, PAN and Aadhaar cards would be made interchangeable to help tax payers file their returns.

“So ‘PAN and Aadhaar will become interchangeable’ is somehow a tax benefit to middle-class Indians? So, you first introduce a problem, and then increase the problem, make it more complicated, and then reduce it again (but still keep it confusing) – that somehow becomes a benefit?” a user questioned the decision.

“PAN and Aadhaar interchangeable will not help middle class,” another user tweeted.

People also criticised that the issue of unemployment was not addressed seriously.

“Hopeless budget 2019… no help or news for unemployment,” a tweet said.

The millennials, however, had some fun with the budget.

“So, the budget has been declared, still there is no announcement on subsidy for annual subscription of Netflix, Prime and Hotstar. Is this the India we want to live in?” posted a Twitter user.

The funny memes also kept circulating.

Depicting the “before budget” and “after budget” feelings, a meme showed Prime Minister Narendra Modi first sitting on a rock, and then lying down flat on the rock.

The images and videos of former Congress President Rahul Gandhi looking blank and later dozing off went viral.

IANS