Union Budget 2025 | Taxes, middle-class fears find reflection in memes ahead of Nirmala Sitharaman's presentation

Nirmala Sitharaman will be presenting her record 8th Budget today.

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will be presenting her record eighth Budget today. The document will be tabled at 11 am in the Lok Sabha first, and then in the Rajya Sabha.

This will mark the second Budget under the Modi 3.0 government, the first having come after the Lok Sabha election. While most expect this to be a populist Budget, a survey has shown that the middle class is rather disillusioned about future prospects, with rising costs and no relief in sight.

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This Budget serves as a chance to change that and reports have indicated that there might be tax relief for those making up to Rs 15 lakh per annum. PM Narendra Modi, too, in his address to the media ahead of the Parliamentary Budget Session's start hinted at Goddess Laxmi's blessings being showered on the poor and middle class.

However, fears of not getting tax breaks, and the middle class having to continue just as they were, have found reflection in memes that have been widely circulated online.

Here's a look at some of them ahead of the Union Budget 2025 presentation today.

Credit: X/@bluechip_memes

A meme made fun of how the markets might react today, ahead of the Budget, and what might be the case after the Budget is presented. Notably, despite today being a Saturday, both BSE and NSE are open for trading.

X@bluechip_memes

Taxpayers have been looking for relief for a long time, and while this Budget might offer just that, the self-reflective jokes have not stopped ahead of the presentation today.

Another meme made fun of how the middle class suffers from trepidation ahead of the Budget, with an apt "meri rooh ka parinda phadphadaye" from Ranbir Kapoor-starrer Ae Dil Hai Mushkil.

X/@MemeOverlord_kk

Middle-class Indians stuck to their beliefs and traditions, with one user sharing a "lemon-chilli" on a string photo -- believed to keep one safe -- and said hopefully this could save middle-class Indians today.

Credit: X/@Qid_Memez

Another meme joked about how the Budget has been ignoring the middle class for some time now with the hilarious Akshay Kumar scene from Phir Hera Pheri.

Credit: X/@mangalbrar22

Another joked about the FM's taxation policies, with a collage of Elon Musk and Nirmala Sitharaman, with the first panel reading "Tesla" one of Musk's companies, and the lower panel reading "Tax La" implying the tax levied on Indians by the Modi government.

Credit: X/@bluechip_memes

After the Budget is presented, Indians often turn to experts for their takes and reactions -- on that note, do check out our Budget Reactions coverage -- and this meme captured the importance these financial experts have today.

Union Budget 2025 | Nirmala Sitharaman, who continues to be Finance Minister, will present her record 8th Union Budget this time. While inflation has burnt a hole in the pockets of 'aam janata', reports suggest there might be a tax relief for those making up to Rs 15 lakh per year. Track the latest coverage, live news, in-depth opinions, and analysis only on Deccan Herald. Also follow us on WhatsApp, LinkedIn, X, Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram.