President highest-paid employee, but is taxed too, says Ram Nath Kovind

KANPUR: Urging people to pay taxes to push development works, President Ram Nath Kovind, while visiting his native village in Kanpur Dehat, said that he too paid 50% of his monthly salary as income tax. Officers and teachers earn more than what he gets after tax deduction, Kovind said during a reception at Jhinjhak railway station while his special train was on way to Kanpur on Friday evening.Jhinkhak station is close to his native village Paraunkh in Kanpur Dehat.
“If a train doesn't stop at a particular railway station, we forcibly stop it out of anger and, at times, even set it on fire. Who loses? Similarly, buses, scooters and motorcycles are set on fire in the name of agitation. Now, tell me, the train belongs to whom, people say it is a government's property. But, it's the taxpayer's money. I am telling this because everyone knows...there is nothing wrong...the President is the country's highest-paid employee, but he too pays tax. I pay Rs 2.75 lakh as tax each month. Everyone says I get Rs 5 lakh a month, but it is taxed too,” Kovind said, as the crowd cheered and clapped.
“Now tell me, how much is left? Whatever I save, our officials earn more than that. The teachers here, they earn the most,” the President said further. He clarified:"I am mentioning all this to illustrate to you all that with the help of these taxes, development is being done."
The President started his five-day trip to UP on June 27. After spending two days in Kanpur and his native village Paraunkh in Kanpur Dehat, he reached Lucknow on Monday by the Presidential Express Train on a two-day visit.
He will lay the foundation of a grand Ambedkar Memorial in Lucknow on Tuesday before flying back to Delhi.