Jairam Ramesh hits back at Sitharaman over UPI tax bill

Congress leader Jairam Ramesh on Friday rebutted Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman's accusation that he is spreading 'canards' over the Taxation and Other Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2026, saying government assurances are no substitute for statutory safeguards. He argued that the bill removes the statutory guarantee of zero Merchant Discount Rate (MDR) on UPI transactions, potentially burdening small merchants and consumers. Ramesh also alleged the amendment follows U.S. pressure and weakens India's public digital infrastructure.