According to a report by Aaj Tak, a political controversy has erupted following criticism from Congress leader Rahul Gandhi regarding the potential implementation of Merchant Discount Rate (MDR) charges on UPI transactions exceeding 2,000 rupees. Government sources have countered these claims by pointing to the records of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Finance.
Official sources allege that the committee, which included senior Congress leaders such as P. Chidambaram, had previously recommended the implementation of a phased MDR framework to ensure the sustainability of digital payment infrastructure. The government claims that the Congress members present during these deliberations did not record any dissent against the proposal at the time.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has utilized these records to challenge the opposition's current stance, framing the criticism as a political pivot. The debate centers on the balance between promoting digital payment adoption and the operational costs incurred by payment service providers. As of now, the government has not confirmed a final policy shift regarding UPI charges, and the opposition has yet to issue a detailed formal response to the specific committee records cited by government sources.
The report cites government sources and parliamentary records regarding the stance of Congress MPs on MDR charges. While the claim is presented as a political rebuttal, it relies on specific procedural records of a parliamentary committee, which is a standard form of political reporting in India.
No corroborating trusted sources found.
Original report: Aaj Tak