Moments after Finance Minister Arun Jaitley announced a roll back of the Budget proposal to tax EPF withdrawal, Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi took the credit for forcing the Modi government to relent.

"My pressure did work. Whenever somebody is being oppressed wrongly or victimised, I tend to try and help those people. Maine kaha tha salary class ko na dabaayein, toh achha decision hai. (I had said don't suppress the salary-class, so I think it is a good decision)," Gandhi said shortly after Jaitley told the Lok Sabha that the government has decided to review the tax proposal.

"I felt middle-class people were being hurt by the government, so I decided to put some pressure on the government. I am happy that they've got some relief," Gandhi added.

Presenting the Union Budget for 2016-17, Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley had proposed to tax withdrawal of 60 per cent of accumulations in the EPF after April 1, 2016.

"In view of representations received, the government would like to do a comprehensive review of this proposal and therefore I withdraw the proposal," Jaitley said. However, he added that 40 per cent exemption given to National Pension Scheme subscriber at the time of withdrawal remains unchanged.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee also welcomed the roll back decision describing it as a "victory for the common people".

"EPF Roll Back - a victory for the common people. Happy that we were the first to raise this issue. Good," the Trinamool Congress leader tweeted.

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