Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman’s announcement of a tax exemption for incomes up to Rs 12 lakh in the Union Budget 2025-26 has sparked a wave of reactions online. While many from the middle class have expressed joy, social media is flooded with a mix of celebratory memes and cautious scepticism, with users wondering if the relief comes with hidden caveats.
Shortly after Sitharaman’s speech, social media platforms were buzzing with Bollywood-inspired reactions. One viral post featured a jubilant scene from a film, captioned: “Middle-class mein khushi ka mahaul hai” (The middle class is celebrating). Another drew from Bollywood humour, imagining FM Sitharaman saying, “Itne saal mein ek baar toh khushi de sakte hai” (We can give you happiness at least once in so many years).
However, amid the excitement, many users also expressed caution. “It’s too early to celebrate,” one user warned, suggesting that the real implications of the announcement might lie in the fine print of the budget. A popular meme reflected this sentiment, referencing a Bollywood scene where a character asks for extra money, captioned: “Government to salaried people during every budget: Aapke fund se thode paise mil jaate toh badhiya hota” (If we could get some money from your funds, it would be great).
Another widely shared meme depicted a sceptical middle-class reaction, using a famous movie dialogue: “Main tereko harami samajhta tha, tu toh Ram nikla, dev manush nikla” (I thought you were dishonest, but you turned out to be noble). Many of the memes voice a common concern – whether this tax relief will truly benefit taxpayers or if indirect changes elsewhere in the budget will offset the gains.
Here are some of the memes for you to enjoy: