Prime Minister Narendra Modi intensified his criticism of the Congress party on Wednesday, highlighting what he described as its “dangerous intentions” regarding a proposal for an inheritance tax similar to that in the United States. Opposition functionary Sam Pitroda’s comments on the subject have sparked a heated debate on wealth distribution amid India’s politically charged election season.
In a video, Pitroda discussed a U.S. law that requires individuals to leave half of their wealth to the public upon their death, calling the policy “fair.” His remarks quickly drew criticism from the BJP and prompted the Congress party to distance itself from them. Congress leader Jairam Ramesh attempted to calm the situation in a social media post, emphasizing that while Pitroda expresses his views freely, they don’t always represent the party’s stance.
Despite this, PM Modi continued to press the issue, using Pitroda’s remarks to intensify his attack on Congress. At an election rally in Chhattisgarh, Modi claimed that Congress intends to impose an inheritance tax, saying, “Congress is proposing a tax on inheritance from parents. They want to heavily tax you while you are alive and then impose an inheritance tax on you after you pass.”
Referring to the Nehru-Gandhi family, PM Modi suggested that Congress wants to prevent people from passing their hard-earned property to their children. He accused the party of seeking to take people’s wealth and redistribute it.
PM Modi’s remarks echoed a famous slogan from the Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC), stating, “Congress’s mantra is: Congress loot during and afterlife.”
Pitroda’s comments have rekindled discussions on wealth distribution and policy changes. BJP leaders, including Amit Shah and Shehzad Poonawalla, criticized Pitroda’s remarks, arguing that such policies could worsen economic disparities.
Congress, meanwhile, defended Pitroda’s right to express different ideas and accused the BJP of sensationalizing his comments to divert attention from Modi’s campaign.
Pitroda later issued a clarification on social media, stating that his comments on the U.S. inheritance tax were taken out of context and were being used by the media to shift attention from the ongoing debate.
