'Paid ₹30 lakh in taxes, got nothing in return': Bengaluru techie with ₹43.5 LPA package battles depression after job loss

Time of India

2 days ago

Mr. Salim, a Bengaluru techie, faces hardship after a layoff, sparking debate about social security for India's middle class. Despite paying significant income tax, he received a minimal severance and feels abandoned by the government. His story highlights the vulnerability of salaried professionals and raises questions about the support system for those sustaining the economy.
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A Bengaluru-based tech professional, Salim (name changed), is at the center of an ongoing debate about the lack of social security for India's salaried middle class after a viral post shed light on his post-layoff struggles.Shared by X user Venkatesh Alla, the post narrates Salim's journey from a top NIT graduate earning Rs 43.5 lakh per annum to an unemployed father battling depression. After being laid off last month, his company provided a severance package of just three months' salary.In the past five years, Salim claims to have paid over Rs 30 lakh in income tax—including Rs 11.22 lakh just last year. Yet, when crisis struck, he says he was met with silence.'The same government I paid lakhs to in taxes betrayed me the moment I needed it most,' he reportedly told Alla.Now, with no home loan burden but significant responsibilities, Salim is dipping into his severance and savings to fund his children's education—Rs 1.95 lakh per child annually.He expressed feeling 'abandoned from every direction' and has fallen into depression, according to the post. Salim also requested that his full identity remain undisclosed.The story has sparked mixed reactions online.Some users questioned the expectation of government support, pointing out that even in developed countries like the U.S., laid-off workers don't always receive direct aid. Others defended India's tax system, arguing that public infrastructure, law, and order enable high salaries in the first place."People earning ₹45 LPA are able to do so because of the infrastructure funded by government taxation. Try earning ₹45 LPA in the Gaza Strip. We have to pay for the services and security that enable us to earn our money. People earning ₹45 LPA should learn to live on ₹15 LPA—30% for taxes and 30% for savings. The problem is, someone earning ₹45 LPA often lives a ₹90 LPA lifestyle and then complains when the income stops. This applies to both the rich and the poor. We earn, pay, and live in proportion to the resources we consume. One needs to plan accordingly," wrote one user.Another commented, "Why should the government take care of him just because he paid taxes? Every citizen pays taxes in one form or another—Income Tax, GST, Customs, Excise, etc."Another wrote, "What makes you feel so self-entitled? Paying taxes isn't an insurance policy against unemployment ."Some criticized poor financial planning rather than the state. 'This is the same everywhere. The issue isn't tax—it's a lack of long-term planning,' one comment read.Still, others called for structural reforms: 'Expand the tax base, bring more people into the formal economy. Only then can we reduce the burden on salaried individuals.'But not everyone was hopeful. One user summed up the cynicism: 'Even if today's rulers are voted out, the next ones might be worse—some want to redistribute even our lifetime savings.'As Salim's story resonates with many professionals who feel caught between high contributions and low returns, it reignites a deeper question: Does India protect the very people who help sustain its economy?