After Chairman of Indian Overseas Congress Sam Pitroda kicked off a row by backing the party’s stand on redistribution of wealth and advocated for 50 per cent inheritance tax in India, the Congress on Wednesday distanced itself from his comments saying that Pitroda’s views may not always reflect the position of the grand old party.
Taking to X, Congress General Secretary in-charge Communications, Jairam Ramesh, said, “Sam Pitroda has been a mentor, friend, philosopher, and guide to many across the world, including me…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.”
He, however, slammed the voices for sensationalising his comments and tearing them out of context.
“Sensationalising his comments now and tearing them out of context are deliberate and desperate attempts at diverting attention away from Mr. Narenda Modi’s malicious and mischievous election campaign; that is anchored ONLY in lies and more lies,” Jairam wrote.
Earlier in the day, emphasising the need for policy toward wealth redistribution, Pitroda elaborated on the concept of inheritance tax prevailing in America.
“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,” Pitroda said.
“In India, you don’t have that. If somebody is worth 10 billion and he dies, his children get 10 billion and the public gets nothing…So these are the kinds of issues people will have to debate and discuss. When we talk about redistributing wealth, we are talking about new policies and new programs that are in the interest of the people and not in the interest of the super-rich only,” he added.
Pitroda also said that the subject of wealth distribution is strictly a ‘policy issue’ and he feels concerned about Prime Minister Modi after his remarks on Congress manifesto.
“This is a policy issue. 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 vacation in Dubai and London…When you talk about the distribution of wealth, it is not that you sit on a chair and say I have this much money and I’ll be distributing it to everybody,” Pitroda said.
“It’s naive to think like that. The PM of a country thinks like that…I have some concerns about his brain,” he said when asked to comment on the Prime Minister’s criticisim of the Congress manifesto which talks about wealth redistribution in India.
Reacting to Pitroda’s remarks, BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonwala attacked the Congress saying that the party wanted to grab hard earned resources of the people.
“Congress, through Sam Pitroda the closest aide of Gandhi Vadra family, is essentially saying that 55% of what you earn will be taken away on your death. If you are a farmer- 55% of your land will be taken If you are a businessman – 55% of your business will be taken 55% of your savings you kept for your children Ironically Gandhis built a huge treasury for their own children & son in law but they want to grab your hard earned tax payed resources,” Poonawala said in a post on X.
In India, the concept of levying tax on inheritance does not exist as of now. In fact, the Inheritance or Estate Tax was abolished with effect from 1985.
Pitroda, however, played down his inheritance tax suggestion after the Congress distanced itself from his comments and drew sharp response from the BJP.
“It is unfortunate that what I said as an individual on inheritance tax in the US is twisted…to divert attention from what lies PM is spreading about Congress manifesto. PM’s comments Mangal Sutra and gold snatching are simply unreal,” Pitroda posted on X.
Replying to the BJP’s criticism, Pitroda said, “Who said 55 per cent will be taken away? Who said something like this should be done in India? Why are the BJP and the media in panic?”
“I mentioned US 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 kinds of issues people will have to discuss and debate. This has nothing to do with the policy of any party including Congress,” he added.
With inputs from agencies
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‘Does not mean his views…’: Congress distances itself from Sam Pitroda’s wealth inheritance remarks
