Budget 2022: Sitharaman Says 'Sorry' for Giving Middle Class a Skip, But Also Says 'Haven't Hiked Tax'

Finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Tuesday “apologised” to middle class taxpayers after presenting the Union Budget 2022 earlier in the day. Since little to no changes were brought into effect in terms of income tax, the budget may turn out to be disappointment for salaried and middle class taxpayers.

Presenting her fourth consecutive budget, Sitharaman shied away from making any change in the income tax slab like last year. In reference to challenges brought in by the Covid-19 pandemic, asked why people’s expectations had not been met with regard to relief in income tax, Sitharaman said, “I don’t want to give a cynical reply. If I want to, then I’d say not increasing tax would be a relief in itself. But I won’t do that. There are times when it’ll have to wait a bit longer, so I am sorry that it did not happen this time…”

Sitharaman also said while she was sorry, she had definitely not increased the income tax last year as well as this year.

“I want to reiterate that I have not increased tax this year as well as last year. I haven’t made any attempt to earn any additional revenue through income tax. Last year, Prime Minister (Narendra Modi) instructed that no matter what the deficit, income tax burden should not be increased on people due to the demands and challenges brought about due to the Covid-19 pandemic,” she said.

Rahul Gandhi could not have understood this budget: FM retorts to ‘zero sum’ jibe

Retorting to Rahul Gandhi’s recent remarks calling the Union Budget 2022 a “zero sum” budget, Sitharaman said the Congress leader commented without thinking.

On being asked by media about the Opposition’s reaction to the Union Budget 2022, Sitharaman said, “Rahul Gandhi could not have understood this budget. As a leader of the oldest party, he should have understood the budget. He is a leader who comments without thinking. He should act in his own state before commenting on others. He should do his homework before commenting on others,” adding, “I pity people who come up with quick responses… especially for the sake of putting out something on Twitter.”

After Sitharaman presented the budget, the Congress accused her and Prime Minister Narendra Modi of betraying the country’s salaried and middle classes by not announcing any relief measures for them in the Union Budget. Rahul dubbed the budget as a “zero-sum budget”, saying it had nothing for the salaried, middle class and the poor. “M0di G0vernment’s Zer0 Sum Budget! Nothing for – Salaried class, Middle class, the poor and deprived, Youth, Farmers and MSMEs,” Gandhi said on Twitter.

Other Congress leaders also hit out at Prime Minister Modi and Sitharaman for presenting a “Lollypop budget”. The Opposition party alleged that the government’s “anti-farmer and anti-poor” face is exposed as it has cut fertiliser subsidy and also reduced food subsidy and MGNREGA funds.

“India’s salaried class and middle class were hoping for relief in times of pandemic, all round pay cuts and back breaking inflation. FM and PM have again deeply disappointed them in Direct Tax measures,” Surjewala said on Twitter. Terming the document a “Nothing budget”, he said in a Twitter post in Hindi that it has nothing for the poor, the salaried and the middle classes as well as farmers and the youth whose pockets are empty.

(with inputs from PTI)

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