World · India Bureau
BJP counters Gandhi's UPI charges criticism with Congress support claims
The government and BJP have hit back at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's criticism of a proposed fee structure on high-value UPI payments, claiming that Congress MPs backed the measure in a parliamentary committee.
LSN India ·
The controversy centres on a proposal to impose charges on UPI transactions exceeding 2,000 rupees. Government sources have asserted that the parliamentary standing committee on finance had recommended a phased implementation of merchant discount rate (MDR) charges on such payments.
According to official statements, Congress members who attended the standing committee meetings did not oppose the recommendation. Sources named five Congress MPs, including former finance minister P. Chidambaram, as having been present during discussions without raising objections to the proposal.
The BJP used the committee's recommendation as evidence to counter recent public criticism from Rahul Gandhi, who has voiced opposition to the fee structure. The government maintains that the standing committee's endorsement provides legitimacy for the proposed measure.
The UPI charges proposal has sparked broader debate about potential impacts on digital payment adoption and consumer behaviour. The government has characterized the MDR implementation as part of a broader policy framework, though details regarding the timeline and structure remain subject to ongoing discussions.