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1. The Direct Taxes revenue/capita in India is around Rs. 5,400 every year; which means every extra rupee paid in taxes above this limit means that somebody else is living off of you. Note that lawyers as a class represent the highest individual taxpayers in the country.
2. Deducting all the expenditure on social welfare programs (that we don't benefit from), the value you receive from that tax paid at the end of the FY is a dismal Rs. 3,900.
3. As per Oxfam, anyone earning Rs. 21 lakh or more falls in the top 1% income bracket in the country (all of us therefore do). And therefore we each essentially shoulder the fiscal burden of hundreds of other fellow citizens.
I'm certainly all for welfare programs and do not mind paying taxes if my money is spent judiciously, but the extreme disparity between what we pay as taxes and what we receive leads one to lose faith in justice.
Why don't you go some years back in history and look at taxes in the 90s and till 2014 with the so called socialist UPA ; not that shocking?
Okay, look at taxes in developed nations, London, NY, Amsterdam, Sweden, Australia, it's way way way more and taxes at multiple levels. It's worse in the US, because you don't have subsidized education or medical bills.
The government has spent a lot, albeit not as efficient, till u having reached the ability to earn, the "4 percent cess" and such is for those who weren't as privileged and need intense state support, most of India doesn't have a roof over their head.
You are in India. You have a constitution. It has a basic structure. You can very well have a legitimate expectation from the State that the taxes get you something. Quid Pro Quo may not be right term.
You are not supposed to lower your economic thresholds to claim that one is prosperous. This is precisely what was the problem when governments after governments tried to measure the BPL income limit.
A lawyer is by the very law permitted to claim deductions. Nothing wrong in it as well.
2. As a lawyer you are probably claiming deductions for your expenses and so are likely being taxed lower than employees anyway.
3. You are not middle class. Please read what that means in the Indian context.
I work with no pension, retirement benefits etc, pay a bomb in rentals etc, yet I have to pay a TON in tax !!!! Even after the PPF deduction BS!!! And the education cess in 4%?? WTF man??? And, of course, Nirmala is now gonna tax MFs.
This government has proven itself to be completely anti-middle class and should be voted out!!!