Rahul Gandhi slams govt over UPI charge, accuses it of bowing to US

Inflation is already rising in the country, and now the central government has decided to levy a charge on UPI payments as well. According to the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI)'s FAQ, the rule will come into effect from October 15, 2026. This means UPI payments will no longer be free as before. Transactions above Rs 2,000 will attract a charge. Notably, if an ordinary person pays for petrol, electricity or any bill above Rs 2,000 through UPI, they will have to pay a charge of Rs 5 on every transaction.

Over this UPI charge, Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha and Congress MP Rahul Gandhi shared a photo of Indira Gandhi and targeted the central government. Rahul Gandhi demanded that the government withdraw the proposed MDR tax on UPI payments. He alleged that the government had surrendered to the United States and given it a chance to make huge profits. The central government has announced that from October 15, a 0.4 percent charge will be levied on UPI payments above Rs 2,000. However, this charge will have to be paid not by the customer but by the company or the shop.

Rahul Gandhi posted a video on the social media platform X on Wednesday, September 16, 2026. In the video, he targeted PM Modi over the UPI tax. He said, "Indiraji was once asked whether she leaned more towards the left or the right. To this, Indiraji had replied that she did not lean towards any side, her thinking was completely straight."

Rahul Gandhi further said, "But Modiji's thinking is different. He does not belong to any ideology, left or right. He has surrendered before Donald Trump. By imposing the UPI tax and giving America a large sum, he has imposed a tax on every citizen of India." Along with this, Rahul Gandhi appealed to PM Modi, "Modiji, stop bowing before America. Show courage, stand up and cancel the UPI tax."