New Delhi, 11 February 2025: Aam Aadmi Party MP Raghav Chadha took aim at the government during the Rajya Sabha budget discussion, accusing it of neglecting the middle class while favoring the rich and poor.
He questioned rising railway fares and the government’s silence on challenges faced by Indian expatriates, particularly amid shifting U.S. policies.
Chadha said the government was “building a five-trillion-dollar economy on the skeleton of the middle class” and treating it as “a hen that lays golden eggs.”
He argued that while the poor receive subsidies and the rich benefit from loan waivers, the middle class is left with neither support nor relief.
“The government acts as if the middle class has no dreams, no aspirations. But their children have ambitions, they want to build a future,” he said.
He criticized the taxation system, pointing out that only a small portion of India’s 1.4 billion population benefits from tax exemptions.
“Out of 80 million tax filers, 49 million report zero income. The burden falls on just 31 million people—primarily the middle class,” he noted.
He dismissed the claim that recent tax exemptions would boost consumption, stating, “Consumption will only rise when GST rates are reduced. When you tax everything from milk to medicines, how will people spend more?”
Turning to the railway sector, Chadha accused the government of extracting high fares while failing to improve passenger facilities.
“The Railway Minister is more interested in social media reels than in solving real problems,” he remarked. He said expensive projects like Vande Bharat and bullet trains serve only the wealthy, while ordinary trains remain overcrowded and neglected.
“They discontinued subsidies for senior citizens, yet fares have increased by 107% since 2014,” he added.
He described deteriorating conditions in trains, stating, “Even 3AC and 2AC coaches are now worse than general compartments. People travel packed together like sacks of potatoes, with no guarantee of a seat despite booking tickets.”
Cleanliness, he said, had worsened, with rising complaints about dirty blankets, foul odors, and unhygienic food. “They charge premium fares but can’t even ensure a clean toilet,” he said.
Chadha demanded the reinstatement of railway travel subsidies for the elderly, calling it an “injustice” to deprive senior citizens of affordable travel.
“Have we become so ruthless that we squeeze money from the frail bones of our elders?” he asked.
He also raised concerns over rail safety, pointing to over 200 accidents in the past five years, including the Balasore crash that killed 293 people.
“The Rail Minister boasts about the Kavach safety system, yet accidents continue. Funds meant for rail safety are being used for luxury sofas and foot massagers instead,” he claimed.
Chadha criticized the government’s response to the deportation of 104 Indians from the U.S., saying they were brought back in shackles, yet no strong protest was made.
“When Colombia’s president refused to let a U.S. plane land with deported citizens, he personally boarded the flight and assured them dignity. Why couldn’t India do the same?” he asked.
He warned that Trump’s policies on H-1B visas could jeopardize thousands of Indian jobs. “In 2023, 72% of all H-1B applications came from Indians. If restrictions increase, around 500,000 Indians could lose their jobs,” he stated.
He added that new U.S. tariffs on Indian textiles, pharmaceuticals, and automobiles could threaten hundreds of thousands of jobs and hurt exports.
Speaking on inflation, Chadha said the depreciating rupee was worsening price rises. “In 2014, the rupee was at 58.80 per dollar.
Today, it’s at 86.70. The weaker rupee has made fuel, food, and electronics more expensive,” he noted. He said the RBI had spent $77 billion in reserves trying to stabilize the currency, but the trade deficit had only widened.
“In 2013, a BJP leader joked that the rupee’s value matched Rahul Gandhi’s age. Today, it’s closer to Manmohan Singh’s,” he quipped.
Chadha concluded by urging the government to take immediate action on tax relief, railway reforms, expatriate rights, and economic policies affecting the middle class.
“The middle class carries the economy on its shoulders, yet it gets nothing in return. This must change,” he said.
