NEW DELHI: Aam Aadmi Party chief Arvind Kejriwal on Wednesday released a middle class centric manifesto ahead of Delhi polls which was filled with demands and appeals from the central government over relaxing income tax and GST rates.
Hitting out at the Centre for unleashing a “tax terrorism” on the middle class, Kejriwal listed out seven demands before the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led central government in his manifesto.
“We demand that the next budget of the country be dedicated to the middle class. Today I make seven demands from the central government,” he said.
Here are the seven demands made by the AAP convener:
- Raise education budget from the current 2% to 10%, cap private school fees, subsidies and scholarships for higher education
- Increase healthcare spending 10% of GDP
- Increase income tax exemption limit from Rs 7 lakh to Rs 10 lakh
- Remove GST on essential goods
- Free healthcare for senior citizens in both private and government hospitals
- Reinstate the 50% concession on train fares for senior citizen
- Remove taxes on health insurance premiums
He accused the central government of catering to “a few industrialists so that they donate money.” BJP had received over 50% of the total funds from electoral bonds since the time it was introduced.
“(Some) parties have created their votebank in the name of religion and caste and they make promises for a few industrialists so that they donate money. Between this notebank (industrialists) and votebank (others), the middle class is nowhere to be seen. The middle class has been crushed between them. The middle class of India has become the ATM of the government. The truth remains that the Indian middle class is the victim of tax terrorism,” Kejriwal said.
Earlier, Kejriwal had taken note of BJP’s freebie-centric manifesto, calling out PM Modi to accept that freebies were ‘prasad by God for country’.
“PM Modi said so far that freebies are not good. He should now say that he was wrong and Kejriwal was right. PM Modi should say that freebies are not harmful to the country but ‘prasad’ by God…,” he had said.
Elections in the national capital are set to take place on February 5. Votes would be counted on February 8.
