'Middle Class Is Under Severe Squeeze': Shashi Tharoor On Budget 2026

Senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor criticises the Union Budget 2026's tax reforms, arguing that while procedures may be simplified, they fail to ease the financial strain on the middle class. He highlights stagnant salaries, rising household debt, growing reliance on credit cards, and questions whether corporate-friendly measures are truly benefiting ordinary taxpayers. Tharoor also raises concerns over reduced tax devolution to states like Kerala, warning that fiscal pressures on states remain unaddressed.