‘PM Modi has decided to prostrate before Trump’: Rahul Gandhi’s ‘UPI tax’ jibe - The Indian Express
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has decided to lie down straight and prostrate himself in front of US President Donald Trump, senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday while reacting to the Centre’s decision to levy a charge for UPI payments above Rs 2,000.
In a video message, The Congress leader said, “Once former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi was asked if she leans Left of Right. Her response was I don’t lean Left, I don’t lean Right, I stand straight.”
Upping the ante against the Modi-led Centre, Gandhi said, “Modiji has a completely different concept. He’s neither Left, nor Right, he has decided to lie down straight and prostrate himself in front of US President Donald Trump.”
Modi ji, roll back the UPI tax. Now. pic.twitter.com/IIt46zMgCG
Gandhi’s jibe came a day after the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) issued a statement announcing a revised merchant pricing framework. Under the new framework, a 0.4 per cent Merchant Discount Rate (MDR) will apply to eligible person-to-merchant (P2M) UPI transactions above Rs 2,000 from October 15, 2026. The charge is to be borne by the merchant and will be capped at Rs 300 for transactions of Rs 75,000 and above. Person-to-person UPI transfers will continue to remain free.
Calling the new pricing framework a “tax”, Gandhi in a video message on Wednesday said, “He has put a tax on every single Indian person by taxing UPI and giving a huge amount of money to the United States.”
Gandhi, who is also the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, further said, “Modiji please stop lying down in front of the United States; have a spine, stand up and roll back the UPI tax.”
Earlier on Tuesday, moments after NPCI announcement, Rahul Gandhi had posted on x claiming the Modi-led government has opened the door to imposing fees on UPI.
He added, “Now, MDR can be levied on merchant UPI transactions above ₹2,000. Even if these transactions account for just 5% of the volume, they make up nearly 65% of UPI’s total transaction value. The government says no fees will be charged to customers. But where will the fees imposed on shopkeepers ultimately come from? Added to prices, straight out of the customer’s pocket.”
Gandhi had also claimed, “American payment companies have long opposed India’s zero-MDR policy. Now, the Modi government has opened the path to changing the policy in exactly that direction. Just like with the US Trade Deal, Compromised PM Modi is once again surrendering to American pressure.”
