- Mr Salim, an NIT engineer, was laid off despite earning Rs 43.5 lakh annually
- He paid over Rs 30 lakh in income tax over five years, including Rs 11.22 lakh last year
- Mr Salim received only three months' severance pay and no further support after job loss
A viral social media post by Venkatesh Alla has sparked a heated online debate about job safety in India. The post shares the story of Mr Salim, a top-performing engineer from a National Institute of Technology (NIT) who was laid off from a leading Bengaluru tech firm with a lucrative salary of Rs 43.5 lakh per annum. Notably, Mr Salim had paid over Rs 30 lakh in income tax over five years, including Rs 11.22 lakh in the last year alone, yet received zero support after losing his job. He was given only three months' severance pay by the company.
Now unemployed, Mr Salim is relying on his severance pay and savings to fund his children's education, which costs Rs 1.95 lakh per child per year.
"Now jobless, thankfully without a home loan, he's using his savings and severance to pay for his children's education, ₹1.95 lakh per child, per year. That's where his "reward" is going. Worse, he fell into depression. He said he felt like he was suddenly on the road, abandoned from every direction. The same government he paid lakhs to in taxes betrayed him the moment he needed it most," the post by Mr Alla read.
"This is what happens to genuine taxpayers in India. You pay. You comply. You contribute. And when you're in crisis, you're on your own. This country desperately needs to change. Because right now, it's failing the very people who carry it forward," the post added.
See the post here:
The tweet has sparked a heated debate about the lack of support for India's salaried taxpayers, especially during crises. Several users advocated for key reforms, including structured unemployment benefits to provide financial support during job loss, mental health programs to address related emotional struggles, and tax reforms that offer tangible returns for salaried contributors, potentially providing a safety net in times of crisis. However, some users disagreed on whether the government should assist in such cases.
One user commented, "You want the government to give him a job because he lost his job? Does this make any sense?" Another wrote, "This is the same everywhere in the world. The problem isn't taxation, it's the lack of long-term financial planning."
A third said, "The only solution is to expand the tax base, bring more into the formal economy. Only then can we reduce the burden on the salaried middle class."
A fourth added, "Layoffs are always a tragedy and it's difficult for young and brilliant minds to get fired. I hope the brilliant guy will get the job soon. But what's the relationship between getting fired and paying taxes? It happens all the time in US. India can't sustain the European model of unemployment payment."
