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 occasion chief Sam Pitroda as we speak 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 gasoline to the hearth 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 replicate the occasion’s place. Congress’s Jairam Ramesh mentioned in a social media message that “sensationalising” Mr Pitroda’s feedback is geared toward “diverting consideration” from Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s “malicious and mischievous election marketing 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 had been twisted “to divert consideration from what lies PM is spreading about Congress manifesto”.
“I discussed inheritance tax within the US solely for example in my regular dialog on TV. Can I not point out information? I mentioned these are the form of points folks should talk about and debate. This has nothing to do with coverage of any occasion, together with Congress,” he mentioned. “Who mentioned 55% shall be taken away? Who mentioned one thing like this needs to be accomplished 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.
The manifesto requires a nationwide socio-economic and caste Census to supply the info basis for affirmative motion. It doesn’t, nevertheless, point out any wealth redistribution plan.
Mr Pitroda, chairman of Indian Abroad Congress, mentioned the Prime Minister thinks that the Indian viewers is a idiot and may be manipulated simply.
“No Prime Minister would communicate like this. Earlier I believed it was an AI-generated video. PM thinks the Indian viewers is a idiot and may be manipulated. He’s not above the legislation. The manifesto of Congress may be very well-drafted. To say that they may steal your gold and Mangalsutra. You’re making tales up by yourself. I believe it’s perhaps resulting from worry, panic has been set in after the primary section. India is indignant on the PM’s remark,” he mentioned.
The Congress, he mentioned, has all the time targeted on the folks on the backside of the financial pyramid, whether or not they’re OBCs, Muslims, Dalits or tribals. “Billionaires do not want our assist. It’s the poor individuals who want our assist. Inequality has considerably elevated within the final 10 years,” he mentioned.
“This does not imply that you will take your wealth and provides it to any person. This implies to create new insurance policies in order that the focus of wealth may be prevented. It is like a Monopoly Act,” he mentioned.
He then cited a US instance. “In America, there’s an inheritance tax. If one has 100 million USD value of wealth and when he dies he can solely switch most likely 45 per cent to his kids, 55 per cent is grabbed by the federal government. That is an fascinating legislation. It says you in your era, made wealth and you might be leaving now, you need to depart your wealth for the general public, not all of it, half of it, which to me sounds honest,” he mentioned.
It’s value declaring that the US doesn’t have a federal inheritance tax. In some states, resembling Iowa, Kentucky, Maryland, Nebraska, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania, inherited property are taxed. The payable tax depends upon the quantity of the inheritance and the connection to the useless. This tax is just utilized above a sure threshold and may go as much as almost 20 per cent of the inheritance.
Mr Pitroda mentioned that this can be a coverage concern. “Congress occasion would body a coverage by which the wealth distribution can be higher. We do not have a minimal wage (in India). If we provide you with a minimal wage within the nation saying you need to pay a lot cash to the poor, that is the distribution of wealth. At the moment, wealthy folks do not pay their peons, servants, and residential assist sufficient, however they spend that cash on a trip in Dubai and London,” he mentioned.
The BJP Sharpens Assault
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, “Household Advisor is spilling the beans – their intention is ‘organised loot and legalised plunder’ of your hard-earned cash.”
Amit Malviya, who heads the BJP’s IT cell, posted, “Congress has determined to destroy India. Now, Sam Pitroda advocates 50% inheritance tax for wealth redistribution. This implies 50% of no matter we construct, with all our laborious work and enterprise, shall be taken away. 50%, in addition to all of 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 important advisor Sam Pitroda ‘hua to hua’ Fame proposes “inheritance tax” like US the place Govt takes 50%+ of your wealth! Voting for Congress = Dropping your Cash + Property + Belongings! Voters bear in mind, property snatchers are right 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, pal, thinker, and information to many internationally, together with me. He has made quite a few, enduring contributions to India’s developments. He’s President of the Indian Abroad Congress.”
“Mr Pitroda expresses his opinions freely on points he feels strongly about. Certainly, in a democracy a person is at liberty to debate, categorical, and debate his private views. This doesn’t imply that Mr. Pitroda’s views all the time replicate the place of the Indian Nationwide Congress. Many instances they don’t,” Mr Ramesh clarified.
“Sensationalising his feedback now and tearing them out of context are deliberate and determined makes an attempt at diverting consideration away from Mr. Narendra Modi’s malicious and mischievous election marketing campaign; that’s anchored ONLY in lies and extra 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. “Up to now 10 years, the society’s disadvantaged part has been left far behind resulting from Mr Modi’s insurance policies,” he mentioned.
“Seventy per cent wealth of the nation is within the arms of simply 22 folks. So you possibly can perceive what the insurance policies previously 10 years have been. This is the reason we want social justice. You will need to know what part of the inhabitants contains Dalits, different castes, economically weaker sections. This is the reason we’re giving the ‘ginti karo’ slogan,” he mentioned.
