Yesterday, the man in a white dhoti gave 21st century India's budget. And boy has he got the rich midget's attention! Taxes on the rich, SUVs, AC restaurnat, imported bikes, cigarettes, cell phones; everything that makes the rich show off has been taxed. This was with the usual TV news covering the entire event, along with a bunch of Armani and Gucci wearing panelists.
I was glad that Kiran Bedi was not part of the panel. But, it did not make sense anyway. It has been termed as a 'status-quo' budget, similar to my pocket money. The rich are certainly fuming. All their hard and hardly earned money is going to the government's coffers, from where they will shifted to Swiss Banks.
I pity the rich. He has to pay more from his brand new SUV, the 8-seater, 8 kmpl beast which he alone would drive. His son's Harley will cost more, which he won't have the chance to touch. He would pay more when he takes his wife to the 5-Star restaurant, but won't enjoy a morsel. His wife will constantly bitch about her social circle, and finally when he takes a break from it all, even his cigarettes cost more. And all this when the country thinks that taxing the rich will help the poor.
The rich guy decides to call it a day and go home, when he is told that Parking and valet services have gone up. Fuming, he gets into his car and drives off, blaring at the traffic. When he finally nears his exclusive bunglow, BANG! a pothole has ruined his ride. Now, it's become what the President's son once remarked: Dented and painted beauty.
Taxing the rich is like a forced corporate social responsibility (CSR). How will it help you and me? Heck, how will it help the rich midgets' remains to be seen. The taxman is already at the corporate offices and the villas, knocking their Italian made doors and pressing the German made calling bells. At the end of it all, the man in white dhoti is having the last laugh.
Picture courtesy: thefeeherytheory.com
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