Bengaluru: A series of tweets by a category manager at Flipkart over the exorbitant tax one ought to pay in the form of GST went viral, prompting many netizens to come out with similar sentiments about the increasing tax rates and the impact on the middle-class community.
Sanchit Goyal's tweet shed light on the tax burden we have to pay on both our earnings and everyday expenses.
Goyal's first tweet revealed that after earning ₹5,000, he had to part with 30% of his income in taxes. Hoping to treat himself to some caffeinated beverages, he found that an additional 28% tax was levied on his purchase. The cumulative effect left him astonished, realizing he was handing over more than 50% of his hard-earned money to the government.
Taking the discussion further, Goyal broke down the taxes imposed on basic products such as sugar, cream, and a choco-bar. Many Twitter users responded, highlighting that taxes extended beyond direct earnings and spending, and encompassed other elements like fuel, production, transportation, and employee taxes.
A consensus emerged among netizens that the Goods and Services Tax (GST) was particularly burdensome, being an indirect tax passed on to consumers, and impacting the middle class disproportionately.
One Twitter user emphasized the frustration faced by the salaried middle-class who feel they work primarily to pay taxes. The sentiment was further intensified by the realization that the GST burdened customers directly rather than businesses.
The issue of luxury items being subjected to the 18% GST rate also sparked debates. The fourth user sarcastically remarked that one needs to be rich to enjoy something as simple as ice cream.