Congress chief Sam Pitroda is on the centre of a row over his remarks in an interview
New Delhi:
In a surprising personal aim that has pushed the Congress on the backfoot, senior get together chief Sam Pitroda in the present day stoked the controversy over the BJP’s allegations that the Congress is planning a redistribution of wealth. Mr Pitroda’s instance of an inheritance tax within the US added gas to the fireplace that the Congress has been making an attempt to douse.
The Congress distanced itself from the senior chief’s remarks and mentioned they don’t mirror the get together’s place. Congress’s Jairam Ramesh mentioned in a social media message that “sensationalising” Mr Pitroda’s feedback is aimed toward “diverting attention” from Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s “malicious and mischievous election campaign”.
Mr Pitroda, too, got here out and mentioned that he made the remarks as a person. He mentioned it was unlucky that the feedback have been twisted “to divert attention from what lies PM is spreading about Congress manifesto”.
“I mentioned inheritance tax in the US only as an example in my normal conversation on TV. Can I not mention facts? I said these are the kind of issues people will have to discuss and debate. This has nothing to do with policy of any party, including Congress,” he mentioned. “Who said 55% will be taken away? Who said something like this should be done in India? Why is BJP and media in panic?”
What Did Sam Pitroda Say
Mr Pitroda spoke to information company ANI on the Prime Minister’s assaults on the Congress manifesto and his allegations of a wealth redistribution plan.Â
The manifesto requires a nationwide socio-economic and caste Census to offer the info basis for affirmative motion. It doesn’t, nevertheless, point out any wealth redistribution plan.
Mr Pitroda, chairman of Indian Overseas Congress, mentioned the Prime Minister thinks that the Indian viewers is a idiot and might be manipulated simply.
“No Prime Minister would speak like this. Earlier I thought it was an AI-generated video. PM thinks the Indian audience is a fool and can be manipulated. He is not above the law. The manifesto of Congress is very well-drafted. To say that they will steal your gold and Mangalsutra. You are making stories up on your own. I think it is maybe due to fear, panic has been set in after the first phase. India is angry at the PM’s comment,” he mentioned.
The Congress, he mentioned, has at all times centered on the individuals on the backside of the financial pyramid, whether or not they’re OBCs, Muslims, Dalits or tribals. “Billionaires don’t need our help. It is the poor people who need our help. Inequality has substantially increased in the last 10 years,” he mentioned.
“This doesn’t mean that you are going to take your wealth and give it to somebody. This means to create new policies so that the concentration of wealth can be prevented. It’s like a Monopoly Act,” he mentioned.
He then cited a US instance. “In America, there is an inheritance tax. If one has 100 million USD worth of wealth and when he dies he can only transfer probably 45 per cent to his children, 55 per cent is grabbed by the government. That’s an interesting law. It says you in your generation, made wealth and you are leaving now, you must leave your wealth for the public, not all of it, half of it, which to me sounds fair,” he mentioned.
It is value mentioning that the US doesn’t have a federal inheritance tax. In some states, reminiscent of Iowa, Kentucky, Maryland, Nebraska, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania, inherited belongings are taxed. The payable tax is determined by the quantity of the inheritance and the connection to the lifeless. This tax is barely utilized above a sure threshold and may go as much as practically 20 per cent of the inheritance.
Mr Pitroda mentioned that it is a coverage concern. “Congress party would frame a policy through which the wealth distribution would be better. We don’t have a minimum wage (in India). If we come up with a minimum wage in the country saying you must pay so much money to the poor, that’s the distribution of wealth. Today, rich people don’t pay their peons, servants, and home help enough, but they spend that money on a vacation in Dubai and London,” he mentioned.
The BJP Sharpens Attack
In no temper to overlook a full toss throughout election season, the BJP used Mr Pitroda’s remarks to double down on their cost on the Congress. Assam Chief Minister and senior BJP chief Himanta Biswa Sarma shared a video of the interview with the put up, “Family Advisor is spilling the beans – their intention is ‘organised loot and legalised plunder’ of your hard-earned money.”
Amit Malviya, who heads the BJP’s IT cell, posted, “Congress has decided to destroy India. Now, Sam Pitroda advocates 50% inheritance tax for wealth redistribution. This means 50% of whatever we build, with all our hard work and enterprise, will be taken away. 50%, besides all the tax we pay, which too will go up, if the Congress prevails.”
BJP spokesperson Jaiveer Shergill, who was earlier with the Congress, mentioned the “cat is out of the bag”. “Rahul Gandhi’s main advisor Sam Pitroda ‘hua to hua’ Fame proposes “inheritance tax” like US where Govt takes 50%+ of your wealth! Voting for Congress = Losing your Money + Property + Belongings! Voters be aware, property snatchers are here!” he posted on X.
Congress’ Firefight
The Congress moved into damage-control mode as Mr Pitroda’s movies began doing the rounds on social media. Senior chief Jairam Ramesh posted, “Sam Pitroda has been a mentor, friend, philosopher, and guide to many across the world, including me. He has made numerous, enduring contributions to India’s developments. He is President of the Indian Overseas Congress.”
“Mr Pitroda expresses his opinions freely on issues he feels strongly about. Surely, in a democracy an individual is at liberty to discuss, express, and debate his personal views. This does not mean that Mr. Pitroda’s views always reflect the position of the Indian National Congress. Many times they do not,” Mr Ramesh clarified.
“Sensationalising his comments now and tearing them out of context are deliberate and desperate attempts at diverting attention away from Mr. Narendra Modi’s malicious and mischievous election campaign; that is anchored ONLY in lies and more lies,” he mentioned.
Pawan Khera, chairman of Congress’s media and publicity division, mentioned Prime Minister Modi’s remarks counsel that he has an issue with social justice. “In the past 10 years, the society’s deprived section has been left far behind due to Mr Modi’s policies,” he mentioned.
“Seventy per cent wealth of the country is in the hands of just 22 people. So you can understand what the policies in the past 10 years have been. This is why we need social justice. It is important to know what section of the population comprises Dalits, other castes, economically weaker sections. This is why we are giving the ‘ginti karo’ slogan,” he mentioned.