Sam Pitroda, a senior leader of the Indian National Congress and Chairman of the Indian Overseas Congress, has stirred up political waves with his recent statement regarding inheritance tax in the United States. Following the release of the Congress party’s manifesto, Pitroda’s example of inheritance tax in America has become a contentious issue within the party. When Prime Minister Modi launched a scathing attack on the issue, the Congress party distanced itself from Pitroda’s statement, portraying it as his personal opinion. Pitroda has now clarified his stance and, like other politicians, has taken a swipe at the media.
What Sam Pitroda Said About Inheritance Tax
During an interview, Pitroda discussed the prevalent inheritance tax laws in America. He mentioned that if someone in the United States has assets worth $100 million, only 45% of it is transferred to their children upon their death, with the remaining 55% being claimed by the government. Pitroda emphasized the need for discussion and debate on this issue in India.
BJP’s Reaction to Pitroda’s Statement
While Pitroda’s comments were in the context of America, the Congress manifesto, including discussions on wealth, property, and other statistics, made it a matter of contention within the party. As a senior Congress leader made the statement, it sparked a debate. The BJP swiftly launched an offensive, with Prime Minister Modi targeting the entire Congress party, including Rahul Gandhi. Modi accused the Congress of wanting to loot people’s wealth, alleging that this was their intention.
Jayaram Ramesh’s Clarification
As the controversy escalated, Congress General Secretary Jayaram Ramesh stepped in to clarify. He stated on social media, “Sam Pitroda has been a mentor, friend, philosopher, and guide to many people around the world, including myself. He has made significant contributions to India’s development. He is the chairman of the Indian Overseas Congress. Pitroda ji openly expresses his views on issues he deems necessary to discuss. In a democracy, a person is certainly free to express their opinions, engage in discussions, and debate personal views. However, this does not mean that Pitroda ji always represents the position of the Indian National Congress. Many times, his views differ. Now, his comments are being sensationalized and presented in a different context to divert attention from Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s election campaign, which is based solely on lies and hatred.”
Pitroda’s Critique of Media
Amidst the political turmoil in India and the Congress party’s attempt to distance itself from his statement, Sam Pitroda took to social media to criticize the media. He wrote, “It’s unfortunate that what I privately said about inheritance tax in America has been twisted and presented by the biased media, so that people can be distracted from the lies being spread about the Congress party in the Prime Minister’s election campaign. The comment about the Prime Minister’s ‘golden spoon’ and ‘stealing gold’ is completely untrue.”
In another post, Pitroda added, “In my regular conversations on TV, I simply mentioned inheritance tax in America as an example. Can’t I mention facts? I said these are issues that people need to discuss and debate. It has nothing to do with the policies of any party, including the Congress. Who said 55% would be taken away? Who said India should have something like this? Why is the BJP and media so panicked?”
Sam Pitroda’s mention of inheritance tax amid discussions about conducting a caste-based census and the collection of all data related to individuals by the government has brought a new political storm to India. Pitroda has handed yet another issue to the BJP while presenting all major leaders, including Prime Minister Modi, with the opportunity to portray it as Congress’s stance throughout the election. This could pose a problem for the Congress party.