Unfair Tax System in India

As a salaried individual, I find myself shackled by taxes, paying slightly above 30% of my Cost to Company (CTC) in direct taxes. This is a burden I cannot escape, much like a bird trapped in a cage, where a third of my salary is already clipped from my wings before I can even spread them.

With the remaining two-thirds of my income, the taxman's shadow looms large, as I face an array of indirect taxes. Services attract an 18% Goods and Services Tax (GST), like a hidden snare waiting to entangle me. Consumer electronics come with a 28% GST, a hefty chain that weighs down every purchase. Fuel is taxed at over 80%, a relentless leech that drains my resources. Capital gains are taxed between 10-20%, a stealthy pickpocket in the night. Almost all daily necessities carry a GST ranging from 5-12%, a relentless rain of pebbles eroding my financial stability. This tax tempest touches everyone, indiscriminately drenching all in its downpour.

If I work for 22 days a month, the harsh reality is that at least 12 of those days are essentially spent laboring for the government, like a servant toiling in a grand manor, while only 10 days of earnings remain for my own sustenance. This significant sacrifice should ideally be reflected in the bounty we receive from our governors and guardians.

Yet, what do we reap from this sowing? The returns are as bitter as the ocean’s saltwater:

1. We exist in a society where voicing against bullying is akin to whispering in a thunderstorm, our courage stifled by fear.

2. There are instances where the guilty, like sly foxes, evade the henhouse of justice with mere apologies.

3. The chasm between the rich and the poor widens, like a deepening canyon, where the wealthy ascend higher peaks while the impoverished sink further into the abyss.

4. The prices of essential goods soar like untamed kites, forever out of reach for the average citizen.

5. Our nation seems preoccupied with the fires of religious strife, ignoring the fertile fields of growth and development that lie untended.

For India to realize its dream of becoming a $30 trillion economy by 2047, it must tend to the delicate garden of its human capital, ensuring that every citizen feels safe and empowered to exercise their democratic rights. Only then can we cultivate a landscape ripe for sustainable economic growth and societal harmony.

It is crucial for all of us to break our silence and sow the seeds of change. Let us hold our leaders accountable and work together to cultivate a nation that not only aspires to economic greatness but also nurtures the well-being and safety of every citizen. Advocate for policies that address these systemic issues and support initiatives aimed at equitable growth and social justice. Let our voices rise like a phoenix, reborn from the ashes of apathy, soaring towards a brighter, fairer future.