Rahul accuses govt of 'tax terrorism', burdening middle class at cost of corporate 'friends'

New Delhi: Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi accused the Centre on Tuesday of indulging in "tax terrorism" and alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is breaking the back of the middle class to increase the wealth of his big corporate "friends".

The former Congress president shared a chart on his WhatsApp channel showing that the amount of personal income tax collected is higher than the collection of corporate tax.

In his post in Hindi on the WhatsApp channel, Gandhi said: "'Tax terrorism' is a dangerous face of BJP rule -- this is the truth. Today in India, the burden of tax target has been completely put on the income of the middle class. That middle class whose salary has not increased for years -- meaning the income has remained the same and the income tax is increasing wildly."

"In this period of terrible inflation, the middle class, which survives by paying heavy GST on everything, should think -- is your income more than that of big corporates or businessmen? Are you getting any special benefit of government facilities? No, right! Then why is this indiscriminate tax being collected from you?" he asked.

"When you are intimidated, your pocket is cut by imposition of their (government's) will, this is the Chakravyuh of 'tax terrorism'," Gandhi said.

"Modiji is breaking the back of the middle class of India to save and increase the wealth of his 'friends'," he alleged.

The Congress leader said he stands with all hardworking, honest Indians against this "terror and injustice".