‘I am here as a family member, not PM’: Modi's outreach to Bohra Muslims

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched a scathing attack on the Congress on Sunday, accusing the party of indulging in minority appeasement and vote-bank politics over its opposition to the amended Waqf Act. Speaking at the inauguration of Hisar Airport in Haryana, the Prime Minister also questioned the Congress’s commitment to the Muslim community, asking why the party had never appointed a Muslim president or reserved a significant portion of election tickets for Muslim candidates.

“Congress has appeased only a few fundamentalists while keeping the majority of Muslims poor and uneducated,” Modi said. “If the Congress truly cares for Muslims, let them make a Muslim the party president and reserve 50 per cent of their Lok Sabha tickets for Muslim candidates. But they won’t. Their only aim is to snatch away others’ rights for political gains.”

He alleged that the Congress misused the Waqf law to benefit select groups and land mafias. “Lakhs of hectares of land under Waqf have been misused. If it had been used honestly, Muslim youth wouldn’t be forced to fix bicycle punctures for a living,” Modi remarked. “With the new amendments, Waqf Boards can no longer claim land belonging to tribals or marginalized communities. This is true social justice.”

Modi linked the Waqf law controversy to what he called the Congress’s legacy of undermining Dr B.R. Ambedkar. Remembering Ambedkar on his birth anniversary, the Prime Minister accused the Congress of sidelining him during his lifetime and attempting to erase his legacy after his death.

“Babasaheb Ambedkar stood for equality, but Congress infected the nation with the virus of vote-bank politics. They made him lose elections twice and tried to keep him out of the system,” Modi said, adding that every policy of his government is inspired by Ambedkar’s ideals.

He also took aim at the Congress’s stance on the Uniform Civil Code, noting that while the Constitution recommends a common civil code, the Congress never implemented it. “Today, Uttarakhand has implemented a Uniform Civil Code, and Congress is opposing it. This shows their double standards,” he said.

In response, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge hit back, accusing the BJP of using Ambedkar’s name for political mileage while failing to implement his principles. “Dr Ambedkar emphasised education above all. What has this government done to realise his vision?” Kharge questioned. “They only speak against Congress, against Nehru, and all we have done. But what have they achieved themselves?”

Kharge also reiterated the Congress’s demand for immediate implementation of the Women’s Reservation Act, which mandates 33 per cent representation for women in Parliament and state assemblies. “When the bill was passed two years ago, we demanded SC, ST, and OBC women be included in the reservation. This remains our goal,” he said.

The exchange marks a sharp escalation in the war of words between the two national parties ahead of the upcoming general elections, with both sides invoking Ambedkar’s legacy to bolster their political narratives.

As the new financial year begins, several significant financial and tax-related changes take effect from April 1, 2025. Many of these updates were announced by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in the Union Budget 2025 and have now been officially approved as part of the Finance Bill 2025.

Some of the key changes include income tax exemption on annual earnings up to Rs 12 lakh, deactivation of UPI for long-unused mobile numbers, and suspension of dividend payouts for individuals who haven’t linked their PAN with Aadhaar. Below is a comprehensive look at all the important updates.

1. Income Tax Exemption & New Tax Slabs
Under the revamped tax regime:
✅ Individuals earning up to Rs 12 lakh per year will be completely exempt from income tax.
✅ For salaried employees, a standard deduction of Rs 75,000 raises the effective tax-free limit to Rs 12.75 lakh.
✅ To claim a rebate of up to Rs 60,000, taxpayers must file their returns on time.
✅ The new tax structure applies to income earned between April 1, 2025 – March 31, 2026, and will be reflected in ITR filings for FY 2025-26 (AY 2026-27).

2. Major Changes in TDS & TCS Rules
To provide tax relief and streamline transactions, several TDS (Tax Deducted at Source) and TCS (Tax Collected at Source) amendments have been introduced:
🔹 TDS on bank interest for senior citizens has doubled from Rs 50,000 to Rs 1 lakh.
🔹 TDS on dividend income has increased to Rs 10,000.
🔹 TCS on overseas remittances under the Liberalised Remittance Scheme (LRS) has been raised from Rs 7 lakh to Rs 10 lakh.

3. UPI Deactivation for Inactive Mobile Numbers
The National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) will start unlinking UPI IDs associated with inactive mobile numbers. If your number has been inactive for a long period:
🔸 Your bank may remove it from their records.
🔸 You could face disruptions in Google Pay, PhonePe, or any UPI-based transactions.
🔸 This change enhances security by preventing unauthorized access to old UPI-linked accounts.

4. New GST Rules
Several Goods and Services Tax (GST) updates take effect:
🔹 Multi-factor authentication (MFA) is now mandatory for logging into the GST portal, improving online security.
🔹 E-way bills can only be generated for documents issued within the last 180 days, ensuring better compliance.
🔹 Hotel room tariffs above Rs 7,500 per day are now classified as "Specified Premises," attracting an 18% GST on restaurant services.

5. Toll Tax Hike Across National Highways
From April 1, 2025, toll charges across various highways will increase:
🚗 Delhi-Meerut Expressway, NH-9: Toll for cars will rise by Rs 5 to Rs 170.
🚛 Trucks and buses will now pay Rs 580 on major highways.
🚗 Delhi-Jaipur Highway: The Kherki Daula toll plaza will maintain current rates for cars, but the monthly pass for larger vehicles will rise by Rs 20 to Rs 950.

6. End of Equalisation Levy on Digital Transactions
The Finance Act 2025 removes the Equalisation Levy, which previously imposed a 2% tax on e-commerce and 6% on online advertisements. This change aims to:
✅ Reduce tax burden on digital service providers.
✅ Attract foreign investments in India’s digital economy.

7. Positive Pay System for Cheque Payments
To prevent bank fraud, the Positive Pay System requires account holders to:
✅ Electronically submit cheque details for payments above Rs 50,000.
✅ Ensure the details match before the cheque is processed.

8. KYC Mandatory for Mutual Fund & Demat Accounts
🔹 KYC (Know Your Customer) verification is now compulsory for mutual fund and demat accounts.
🔹 Nominee details will also undergo re-verification to enhance security.

9. Major Credit Card Perk Reductions
Credit card users will see major perk reductions, particularly with SBI, IDFC First, and Axis Bank:
❌ SBI Cards will remove complimentary insurance coverage for accidents (Rs 50 lakh for air, Rs 10 lakh for rail).
❌ Reward points on SBI Cards will be slashed from 15% to just 5%.
❌ IDFC First Club Vistara cardholders will lose milestone benefits and Club Vistara Silver membership perks.
❌ Axis Bank is discontinuing Maharaja Club tier memberships and premium vouchers.

10. Minimum Balance Rules for Bank Accounts
📌 Major banks like SBI, PNB, and Canara Bank have updated their minimum balance requirements based on account location:
🏙 Urban branches will require higher minimum balances.
🏡 Rural and semi-urban accounts may have lower minimum balance thresholds.
🚨 Failing to maintain the required balance will result in penalty charges, varying by bank.

11. Unified Pension Scheme (UPS) for Government Employees
The Unified Pension Scheme (UPS), introduced in August 2024, takes effect:
✅ Central government employees under NPS can opt for UPS.
✅ Those with at least 25 years of service will receive 50% of their average basic salary as a monthly pension.

Final Thoughts

These changes, introduced as part of the Union Budget 2025, mark a significant shift in India's tax, banking, and digital transaction landscape. With higher tax exemptions, updated TDS & TCS rules, stricter banking security, and GST amendments, the new financial year aims to simplify compliance while improving financial security and economic efficiency.

Stay informed and ensure all necessary updates to your financial accounts to avoid disruptions.

Riyadh, April 12: In a welcome move for Indian expatriates and other foreign residents in Saudi Arabia, the Kingdom has introduced a new online service that allows residents to update their passport information without visiting the General Directorate of Passports (Jawazat). The service is available through the widely used Absher platform.

This initiative comes as a major time-saver for Indian expats, especially those renewing their passports, as it eliminates the need for lengthy in-person appointments and physical document submissions at Jawazat offices.

Who Can Use the Service?

The online update feature is available to expatriates aged 18 and above. Once a passport is renewed, Indian expats can log in to Absher (via their employers account), navigate to My Services, select Passport, and then access Resident Identity Services to update the relevant information.

A clear photo of the new passport must be uploaded. The system automatically extracts the passport number and expiry date using advanced digital recognition tools.

Before submitting, users are required to pledge that:

• The old passport has not been lost.
• There are no reports of absence from work.
• There are no pending traffic violations linked to the resident's Iqama.
• There are no security-related restrictions on the expat or the employer.

Important for Indian Families

If family members previously listed on the old passport have been issued individual passports, the online service cannot be used. In such cases, a personal visit to Jawazat is necessary to complete the update.

Likewise, if the passport is lost, the expat must report the loss and update information directly at the Jawazat office. Any misuse or incorrect submission will result in accountability under Saudi law, including potential charges of forgery.

Fee Details

To avail this convenience, a nominal fee of SR69 (including VAT) is applicable for each passport update request.

Why It Matters

With over 2 million Indians living and working in Saudi Arabia, this digital service is expected to ease the bureaucratic burden and save time for thousands of individuals who previously had to navigate crowded offices and long wait times. It also enhances accuracy and ensures smoother processing for both employees and employers.

Indian community associations have welcomed the move, calling it a step forward in digital convenience and administrative efficiency for expatriates.