New Delhi, Aug 11:
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Monday termed communists in India as “total cowards” while lashing out at CPI (M) member John Brittas, accusing him of spreading confusion in the country over the charging of fees on UPI payments.
In her reply to the discussion on The Taxation and Other Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2026, in the Rajya Sabha, Sitharaman took exception to Brittas walking out of the house without listening to her reply after he made allegations while moving a resolution to disapprove of the Income-Tax (Amendment) Ordinance, 2026, promulgated on June 5, 2026.
Brittas alleged that the government has decided to charge fees on UPI payments due to pressure from the US, just like it was exerted on Brazil, and was going against Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s assertion that “India’s digital payment ecosystem had been developed as a free public good”.
The CPI (M) member, who was allowed to move his resolution by Deputy Chairman Harivansh after a brief commotion, had walked out when his speech was cut short by the Chair for exceeding the time limit.
“John Brittas can please stay here, if he wants to hear one line. Typical communist style, blast everybody with ‘not facts’, twist the facts and do something and also demand my right ‘I have to speak’…and when actually the replies are to be given to them, point by point, they don’t have the courage. Cowards!” Sitharaman said.