Rahul Gandhi Launches Fierce Attack on PM Modi Over New UPI MDR Payment Charges

• by Akanksha Mishra
• 2026-09-16 16:14:00

Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi mounted a sharp political offensive against Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday over the central government's implementation of a new Merchant Discount Rate (MDR) framework on Unified Payments Interface (UPI) transactions. Taking to social media platform X, the Congress leader shared a pointed video message drawing historical contrasts between former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi's unwavering foreign policy resolve and the current dispensation's economic actions. Recalling Indira Gandhi's famous stance when questioned whether she leaned politically left or right—stating that she leaned neither way but stood tall and straight—Gandhi claimed that PM Modi has chosen to capitulate directly to foreign interests by yielding to pressure from Donald Trump's administration, thereby compromising domestic economic autonomy.

Congress Labels New Policy 'Modi Tax', Criticizes Fast Implementation and Burden on Indian Consumers

Further escalating his criticism, Gandhi accused the ruling government of imposing an unjust financial burden on everyday citizens through the updated digital payment fee structure, asserting that the policy shifts substantial economic benefits abroad while taxing Indian consumers and small merchants. Demanding an immediate repeal of the MDR framework, the former Congress president urged PM Modi to stand firm rather than surrender to external pressures. Reinforcing this stance, the Congress leadership dubbed the transactional levy a "Modi Tax," with Party Communications General Secretary Jairam Ramesh branding the move as another classic example of the administration's "FAST" approach—announcing policy shifts first and deliberating on systemic consequences later—raising fears over sudden disruptions to India's thriving digital fintech ecosystem.

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