‘Have a Spine, Roll Back UPI Tax’: Rahul Gandhi Demands Withdrawal of New UPI Charges

VIDEO Source : @INCIndia CONGRESS

Dated 16th September 2026

News By Dr. B R Abdul Wajid

Chief Political Editor

New Delhi : Congress leader and Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi has strongly opposed the new Merchant Discount Rate (MDR) framework for certain UPI transactions and demanded that the Modi government immediately roll back the decision.

Under the new framework, a 0.4 per cent MDR has been introduced on specified merchant UPI transactions above ₹2,000. The government has clarified that customers will not be charged MDR.

Reacting to the move, Rahul Gandhi launched a sharp attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and called upon him to withdraw what he described as a “UPI tax”.

In a social media message, Rahul Gandhi recalled former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi’s statement that she did not lean either to the left or the right, but “stood straight”.

Taking a dig at Prime Minister Modi, Rahul Gandhi said that Modi had a completely different approach and alleged that he was “lying down straight and prostrating himself” before US President Donald Trump.

Rahul Gandhi further alleged that the Modi government was putting a tax on every Indian by taxing UPI and claimed that large amounts of money were being given to the United States.

“Modi Ji, please stop lying down in front of the United States. Have a spine (Khade ho jaiye) aur UPI tax ko wapas lijiye,” Rahul Gandhi said.

The issue is now set to remain a major point of political debate, with Rahul Gandhi firmly demanding that the Modi government withdraw the new UPI MDR framework. While the government maintains that the MDR is not a tax and that customers will not be charged, Rahul Gandhi has called for the decision to be rolled back, arguing that UPI payments should continue without any additional burden on the people.

News By Dr. B R Abdul Wajid