Don’t Under-estimate the Middle class

The Middle class is upset because it is finding that the BJP is fast overtaking the Congress

Don't Under-estimate the Middle class
Don't Under-estimate the Middle class

The BJP should not forget that it is the middle class which brought it to power…It can also unseat it.

The Bhakts are criticizing the middle class for criticizing the budget. They are saying the middle class is greedy and expects tax relief in every budget. But the BJP is forgetting that it had come to power on the wave of the middle class’ outrage over massive corruption under the Congress regime. The BJP, in the past, had attacked Congress budgets for ignoring the middle class.

By the way, the middle class is not begging for reliefs but only asking the govt to stop cheating the nation. When the administrative price mechanism for petroleum products was dismantled the govt gave a solemn assurance to the people that when world crude oil prices come down the price of petrol/ diesel will also be proportionately reduced. Instead of reducing fuel prices, central excise and other taxes were levied by the govt to offset the benefit that would have otherwise accrued to the people!! The increase in fuel prices is the biggest act of dishonesty by the govt.

If the govt wants to raise the money it just needs to reduce the high level of corruption. Lakhs of crores spent on health and social and tribal welfare are spirited away by vested interests.

The govt doesn’t have the guts to disclose the names of businessmen who have swindled the banks of over Rs 500 Cr each .

Justice Shah confirmed that Mukeshbhai’s RIL has helped itself to ONGC’s gas worth $ 1.50 Billion in KGB. The govt has no guts to criminally prosecute Mukeshbhai instead it continues Z security to him given by the Congress. The Rafale deal is another mega scam which makes the Bofors controversy look like a parking offence. The DRI has evidence of over-invoicing by Adani by over Rs 1000 Cr. No action. By the way, when senior journo Paranjoy Guha Thakurta exposed the scam in the EPW he was sacked and the Delhi Press Club office bearers who talk big about freedom of the press kept mum.

The govt doesn’t have the guts to disclose the names of businessmen who have swindled the banks of over Rs 500 Cr each despite the Supreme Court saying it would be legal to give out the names.

Defence minister Nirmala Seetharaman acquiesces with Mehbooba Mufti in filing a murder FIR against the army in Shopian. When the middle class is outraged it is frowned upon.

The middle class is upset not because the Modi govt did not throw a few crumbs at it in the budget…It is upset because it is finding that the BJP is fast overtaking the Congress in corruption. Also, its Kashmir policy is a fiasco. On the foreign policy front…China is entrenching itself in Doklam…It is encircling us through the CPEC, Hambanthota and deep inroads into Burma. And we respond by increasing imports from China!!

The BJP should not forget that it is the middle class which brought it to power…It can also unseat it. Please don’t take us for granted.

Note:
1. The views expressed here are those of the author and do not necessarily represent or reflect the views of PGurus.

Advocate and Senior Journalist who was formerly City Editor & Chief of Bureau of The Times of India, Mumbai. He has also served in the MumbaiMunicipal Council.
S Balakrishnan
Latest posts by S Balakrishnan (see all)

3 COMMENTS

  1. Now a days, the restaurants are full because almost all middle class families choose to eat out a lot more frequently than say thirty years ago. Paying just 5 percent of GST as opposed to 18 percent tax is not benefit for the middle class? Better road condition will reduce car maintenance cost by thousand of Rupees. Who will get such benefit? And what about the salaries of middle class workers compared to just three years ago? How many middle class people lost their lives or the lives of their friends and relatives during the UPA government? Want Congress government back?

  2. Modi is reminding me of the old story of King’s new clothes. Some wise kid needs to remind him he is wearing no clothes. As a right wing supporter I am jittery that dynasty will come back in 2019 . By election results in Rajasthan are quite ominous. If BJP or is it Modi & Shah duo brings back dynasty it will be disastrous for the country.

  3. Sir,

    if 3% of indian persons hold 75% of wealth in india.. what is the tax paid by them(figures) in the last years.Besides how much(figures,%) taxes are collected from salaried class ppl (5-10,10-20).Seems this direct taxes collection is skewed.This is my humble reqeust.

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