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FM says middle-class not squeezed, higher personal tax reflects rising base
The New Indian Express Kozhikode
|February 13, 2026
FINANCE Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Thursday pushed back against Opposition claims that the middle class is being burdened by high income tax collections, arguing instead that the rise in personal tax payments reflects a widening tax base and formalisation of the economy.
Replying to the debate on the Union Budget 2026-27 in the Lok Sabha, Sitharaman said the perception that individuals are paying more tax than corporates does not indicate financial stress on the middle class, but signals its expansion. “The conclusion made by the Opposition that the middle class is being sandwiched because personal tax collection exceeds corporate taxes is fundamentally misdiagnosing the situation. There is no evidence of middle-
This story is from the February 13, 2026 edition of The New Indian Express Kozhikode.
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