An Indian professional claims he paid nearly ₹1 crore as income tax over 14 years, only to receive no support after being laid off. Mohamed Nowsath questioned the country’s lack of social security in an X post that has sparked a debate over unemployment benefits and taxation.
“14 years of career, paid close to 1 crore as income tax so far. Now, being laid off. Absolutely no trace of any support system. Thank you India,” Nowsath wrote in his X post two days ago.
Post sparks debate
The post sparked a debate about social security in India which only intensified after Nowsath, in a follow-up post, shared that his severance pay would also be taxed.
“Just learned that my severance pay will also be taxed! I don’t know what to say,” he wrote.
Some people in the comments section agreed with the laid-off employee about the lack of social security in India. Social security is a government-run system that provides financial support to people and families during difficult times. It helps those who lose income because of retirement, unemployment, disability, illness, or injuries suffered at work.
Others, however, said that the burden of saving and having a contingency fund should fall on the individual and not the government.
“What support system is expected?” asked one X user, to which Nowsath replied: “A certain percentage of salary or income tax being paid with tax exemption for 3-6 months may be?!”
“We justify our taxes by comparing with other countries. But forget to compare the returns that the taxpayers get in those countries,” X user Manoj Arora noted, highlighting the financial assistance that countries like the UK, Australia, Canada and France provide to laid-off or unemployed citizens.
“I don’t understand. What do these people want? The government provided tax saving avenues like EPF / NPS / 80C Etc. Who stopped us from leveraging that? And now, you can still use government hospitals / schools that are totally free, no one’s stopping you!” an X user countered.
Laid-off employee hits back
Nowsath responded to critics with a sharply-worded follow-up post where he pointed out the lack of public facilities in India.
If people believe taxpayers should not receive financial support during unemployment, then taxpayers should at least receive high-quality public infrastructure and services in return for the taxes they pay, he argued.
“Many are upset that I asked for financial support during unemployment for income taxpayers,” Nowsath wrote.
“Okay, I’m taking care of my emergency funds and not asking anything from the government, provided I get to take my kid in a stroller on the city streets without damaging my kid’s lungs and eardrums. walk on safe and convenient footpaths, let my kid cycle without the danger of being run over by trucks, spend time with family in green spaces in the city instead of malls and get across cities in 200 kmph+ trains instead of slogging on over-choked highways,” he wrote.
