Kejriwal calls middle class a victim of ‘Tax Terrorism’, raises 7 key demands

New Delhi: In a bold move ahead of the Delhi polls and Union Budget 2025, former Delhi Chief Minister and AAP national convenor, Arvind Kejriwal, launched a “Middle Class Manifesto” ahead of the Delhi Assembly polls and the Union Budget 2025.

Addressing the concerns of India’s middle class, Kejriwal outlined seven key demands for the upcoming budget, emphasising the need to prioritise the demographic he called the “true backbone and unsung superpower of India.”

Kejriwal termed the Indian middle class victims of “tax terrorism” and accused the BJP government of treating them as “an ATM.” He urged the government to address their long-neglected needs, stating, “The middle class pays billions and trillions in taxes to run the country, but in return, what does the middle class get? Nothing.”

The manifesto included major demands such as raising the income tax exemption limit to ₹10 lakh, abolishing GST on essential commodities, and increasing the education and health budgets to 10 per cent each. Kejriwal also proposed nationwide regulation of private school fees, scholarships for higher education, tax-free health insurance, and robust retirement plans for senior citizens. “This is our middle-class manifesto. If the entire middle class of the country stands united and raises its voice, the government will have no choice but to listen to you,” he said.

Highlighting the plight of the middle class, Kejriwal accused successive governments of side-lining their concerns. “Amid this ‘vote bank’ and ‘note bank’ system, there is a large class that is completely side-lined, the middle class. No political party today is ready to address their interests.”

Kejriwal criticised the current tax system, stating, “If a middle-class family earns ₹10–12 lakhs a year, over 50 per cent of their income is taken away by income tax, GST, toll tax, education cess, property tax, and more. Even milk, curd, and religious items for worship are taxed.” The AAP leader also announced the Sanjeevani Scheme, a policy to provide free healthcare for senior citizens above 60 years in both government and private hospitals. “Tell me, if your tax money ensures good treatment for the elders in your family, have we done anything wrong?” he asked.

Kejriwal defended the AAP government’s work in Delhi, highlighting reforms in education, healthcare, and infrastructure. “We increased the education budget from ₹5,000 crore to ₹16,000 crore. Today, government schools in Delhi are so good that 400,000 children have moved from private schools to government schools,” he said.

Similarly, he praised the introduction of Mohalla Clinics and improvements in government hospitals, noting, “Our Mohalla Clinics are in highest demand in middle-class areas of Delhi.”

In a scathing attack on the BJP government, Kejriwal stated, “Government funds come from the people. Either it is used for public welfare or lent to industrialist friends and later written off. The AAP has chosen the first way.”

Kejriwal concluded by urging the middle class to support the manifesto and demand accountability from the central government. “Sign up on our website, middleclassmanifesto.com, and amplify your voice. If we raise our voice together, it will echo in Parliament,” he said.

With this manifesto, Kejriwal positioned AAP as the voice of the middle class, promising to bring their issues to the forefront in both Delhi and the Union Parliament.