Middle-Class Question

The Jantar Mantar protests ended peacefully because both the govt and CJP were willing to compromise. That was good news. But the protests also reminded everyone that India’s middle class is becoming worried and frustrated. Usually, the middle class doesn’t protest. This time, many felt they had to. Some protesters looked poor, while others looked quite rich. That’s because India’s middle class includes people with very different incomes.

People often argue about how big the middle class really is. But one thing is clear: it is important to India’s economy. Middle-class families buy homes, clothes, phones, food and many other things. This spending keeps businesses running and creates jobs. They also pay a large share of the country’s taxes. In 2025-26, the govt collected ₹23.4 lakh crore in direct taxes, including about ₹12 lakh crore in income tax. Fewer than 3% of Indians paid income tax. Middle-class families also pay many indirect taxes whenever they buy goods and services. Some experts say that a family spending ₹8 lakh a year pays more than ₹1 lakh in these taxes. Sometimes they pay hidden taxes too. For example, when world oil prices fell in 2023, petrol and diesel prices in India did not fall much, giving govts extra money.

But taxes are not the biggest reason the middle class is upset. The real problem is that they don’t feel they get enough in return. They pay a special health and education tax, yet many still cannot depend on govt hospitals or schools. Public transport, water, electricity and safety are often unreliable. So they end up spending even more money on things like water purifiers, air purifiers, private schools, generators and cars.

Unlike rich families, most middle-class families cannot simply send their children abroad for a better future. They depend on good colleges, good jobs and a fair system in India. They want to know that hard work and talent will be rewarded. If they lose faith in that, they become worried and angry because they fear their children may have a harder life than they did. Politicians may think the middle class is too small to matter in elections. But that would be a mistake. The middle class helps keep India’s economy strong. Its worries deserve to be taken seriously.

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