- Sarcastic social media post highlights public concern over UPI charges.
- Congress criticizes proposed UPI fee framework, citing US pressure.
- Finance Minister clarifies merchants, not customers, would bear MDR.
A sarcastic social media post reading, “Madam, please ensure GST is charged when I sell my kidney,” has emerged as one of the most widely shared reactions after Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman clarified that customers would not be charged under the proposed changes to Merchant Discount Rate (MDR) rules for UPI and RuPay transactions.
This sets a precedent that you can tax UPI. Might as well put a one percent charge on all UPI transactions . Madam please ensure GST is charged when i sell my kidney.
— Vinayak Sahi (@sahi_vinayak) August 6, 2026
The remark came amid a political face-off between the Centre and the Congress over the Taxation and Other Laws (Amendment) Bill, with both sides sparring over the future of digital payment charges.
Congress Questions Proposed MDR Framework
Congress leader Jairam Ramesh criticised the proposed amendment to Section 10A of the Payment Act, arguing that replacing the existing statutory zero-MDR provision with government notification powers removes the legal guarantee of fee-free digital payments.
He claimed the Reserve Bank of India’s ₹2.86 lakh crore surplus transfer for 2025-26 was sufficient to support the UPI ecosystem without imposing charges.
“The Modi government’s claim that this is the only way to keep UPI financially sustainable is entirely wrong. The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has sufficient capacity to maintain the UPI system on a financially sustainable basis without imposing any additional fees on merchants or consumers,” he wrote.
Ramesh Links Proposal To US Pressure
The Congress MP also cited the US Trade Representative’s 2026 report, which he said criticised UPI and RuPay for disadvantaging American companies such as Visa and Mastercard.
He further suggested that US President Donald Trump may have influenced the government’s decision.
मोदी सरकार द्वारा लाया गया टैक्सेशन एवं अन्य कानून (संशोधन) विधेयक, 2026 उस वैधानिक गारंटी को समाप्त कर देता है, जो अब तक UPI लेनदेन को शुल्क-मुक्त बनाए हुए थी। यह मर्चेंट डिस्काउंट रेट (MDR) लगाने का रास्ता खोलता है, जिसे भविष्य में आसानी से सभी प्रकार के डिजिटल भुगतान पर लागू… pic.twitter.com/QoBN01Nxw2
— Jairam Ramesh (@Jairam_Ramesh) August 6, 2026
“Donald Trump has publicly claimed more than 100 times that he pressured the Modi government into securing a sudden ceasefire during Operation Sindoor by threatening American tariffs. The United States has also claimed that India’s gradual reduction in oil imports from Russia is a result of President Trump’s directives.”
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He added, “We also know that the Modi government, bowing to President Trump’s bullying, accepted a trade agreement between India and the United States that was widely regarded as unfair and which particularly sacrificed the interests of our farmers and small businesses.”
Sitharaman: Customers Will Not Pay MDR
Responding to the criticism, Sitharaman said any MDR, if introduced, would apply only to merchants and not to customers.
She said the framework would enable banks and fintech companies to invest in infrastructure, innovation and security, benefiting the digital payments ecosystem.
Before spreading a canard, @Jairam_Ramesh ji, please consider this:
1. Merchant Discount Rate (MDR) applies only on the merchants and not on the end users/customers. It will support the Banks & Fintech to invest more on infrastructure, innovation & security. All users of UPI… https://t.co/sleUX4ztWe— Nirmala Sitharaman (@nsitharaman) August 6, 2026
The Finance Minister also clarified that implementation has not yet been finalised. She said the NPCI-led steering committee would determine the MDR framework only after the Bill is passed.
“All this could have been discussed on the floor of the House if your party, the Indian National Congress, engages constructively in Parliament when the Bill was/is tabled. (LS/RS respectively) (sic),” she wrote.
Social Media Reacts
Sitharaman’s clarification sparked sharp reactions online, with one sarcastic comment quickly gaining traction.
“This sets a precedent that you can tax UPI. Might as well put a 1% charge on all UPI transactions. Madam, please ensure GST is charged when I sell my kidney.”
Others backed the proposal, arguing that Indian digital payment infrastructure should generate revenue instead of allowing global payment networks to dominate.
One user wrote, “Indians account for the bulk of the Ecom traffic and payments made through Visa etc and global PG result in transfer of MDR to those. High time Indian UPI get MDR share.”
Another questioned whether merchants would ultimately pass any additional costs on to consumers.
“So, you think merchants who will bear the cost of this won’t increase the price of their products? Whose burden will fall directly on consumers? Don’t you know the ripple effect it will cause?”
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