He compared taxes to how bees collect honey; gently, without bruising the flower. His point? Users, not taxpayers, should fund services they use. He’s not against UPI; he’s against infinite subsidies. After 6 years of free UPI, he argues, businesses (including digital payment platforms) need to be sustainable. A ₹100 transaction will cost just 40 paise; less than a samosa. Even cheque books have fees. So why shouldn’t bigger merchant UPI deals? What’s clear: this isn’t about hurting users; it’s about keeping digital payments alive without constant state support. Smart? Maybe. Painful? Barely. But necessary? According to Lahiri; absolutely.