As the Delhi Assembly elections draw closer, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) convenor Arvind Kejriwal on Wednesday unveiled the party’s ‘middle-class manifesto’ and called on the Centre to dedicate the Union Budget 2025, scheduled for February 1, to addressing the concerns of India’s middle class.
Kejriwal’s Seven Demands for the Middle Class
- Increased Education Budget
- Allocation for education to be raised to 10% of the national budget from the current 2%.
- Cap on private school fees to make quality education affordable.
- Scholarships and subsidies for higher education.
- Expanded Health Budget
- Increase health spending to 10% of the budget.
- Removal of taxes on health insurance premiums.
- Higher Tax Exemption Limit
- Raise the income tax exemption limit to ₹10 lakh from the current ₹7 lakh.
- GST Relief on Essentials
- Exemption of Goods and Services Tax (GST) on essential commodities.
- Senior Citizen Benefits
- Introduction of robust retirement plans and pension schemes.
- Free medical services for senior citizens in all government and private hospitals.
- 50% concession on rail travel for senior citizens.
- End of “Tax Terrorism”
- Criticized the current tax policies, terming them “tax terrorism,” with high levies even after death, making it difficult for individuals to plan their lives and achieve dreams.
- Addressing Brain Drain
- Highlighted that restrictive financial policies are prompting Indians to migrate, citing the departure of 85,000 citizens in 2020 as a matter of national concern.
Kejriwal’s Call to Action
Kejriwal declared AAP as the voice of the middle class, promising to represent their issues from the streets to Parliament. Criticizing the Centre’s tax policies, he emphasized the need for systemic reforms to empower India’s true superpower—the middle class.
“We demand a budget that reflects the aspirations of the middle class, eases their financial burdens, and ensures a better future for all,” Kejriwal concluded.
