Congress leader and Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday criticised the Centre over the proposed transaction fee on UPI payments, accusing Prime Minister Narendra Modi of yielding to US pressure and demanding withdrawal of the move.
In a video message posted on X, Gandhi said the government was imposing a tax on Indians through UPI transactions and alleged that the move would benefit the United States.
“Modi ji, please stop lying down in front of the United States. Have a spine, stand up and take back the UPI tax,” he said.
Modi ji, roll back the UPI tax. Now. https://t.co/IIt46zMgCG
— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) September 16, 2026
Gandhi compared Modi’s approach with former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi’s response when asked whether she leaned left or right, quoting her as saying, “I don’t lean left, I don’t lean right, I stand straight.”
Earlier, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge also targeted the Centre over its trade and digital payment policies, alleging that the government was surrendering to pressure from Washington.
“Your dear friend ‘Abki Baar Trump Sarkar’ dictates; you capitulate, and 140 Cr Indians are left to bear the consequences!” Kharge said in a post on X, referring to US tariff threats against Indian goods.
Kharge also criticised the government over the Merchant Discount Rate (MDR) on UPI transactions, calling it another example of what he described as the Centre’s “meekness”.
The Congress leaders alleged that the government’s decisions on tariffs, trade, H-1B visas and digital payments reflected growing US pressure and claimed that changes to the zero-MDR regime would benefit American card networks.
