'India pays taxes like England, gets services like Somalia': Raghav Chadha

Speaking on the Budget in the Rajya Sabha on Thursday, he urged the government to comprehensively review the tax framework by making eight suggestions.

"In the last 10 years, the government has sucked the blood of the common people of the country by imposing taxes," he said.

"And what does the government give us in return for the so much tax it takes from us, what international services, world-class health care, education, transport facilities does the government give to the people in return? That is why today I have no hesitation in saying that we in India today pay taxes like England to get services like Somalia," Chadha said.

He said the economic policies of the government are responsible for its significantly reduced number of seats in the Lok Sabha.

"The BJP's seat share had dropped from 303 in 2019 to 240 in 2024 as the people had imposed 18 per cent GST on the seats," the AAP leader said.

"Many reasons are given for this. Some say that the religion card did not work, some say caste is the reason, while some say that there was a lack in ticket distribution. These are all superficial reasons. I tell you three reasons due to which the BJP has faced this plight: the first reason is economy; the second reason is economy, and the third reason is also economy," Chadha said.

"Due to rising rural inflation, rural unemployment, low crop yield, income inequality, farmer debt, high input cost, low income, no MSP and crop losses, rural income growth is at a decadal low in the financial year 2023-24," he said.