The political landscape in India heated up as Congress leader Sam Pitroda's comments on the US inheritance tax sparked a debate between the Congress and the BJP. Pitroda's remarks, made in Chicago, led to Prime Minister Narendra Modi accusing Congress of having "dangerous intentions" to seize assets from the people. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi retaliated by accusing the PM of spreading falsehoods and claimed Modi was nervous about losing support.
In response to the backlash, Pitroda clarified that his words were taken out of context and meant for discussion purposes only, not as a reflection of Congress's official stance on inheritance tax. The BJP pointed to previous statements by Congress leaders Arun Jaitley and Jayant Sinha, highlighting their past mentions of inheritance tax or support for it, as a counterargument.
The debate spiraled further as Prime Minister Modi warned the public in Chhattisgarh that the Congress planned to unfairly redistribute wealth and impose burdensome taxes on the middle class under the guise of inheritance tax. Congress leader Praveen Chakravarty emphasized that the party's manifesto did not include any proposals for an inheritance tax, contradicting the BJP's claims.
As the tensions escalated, Pitroda criticized the media for misrepresenting his comments and diverting attention from what he perceived as misinformation being spread by the PM about Congress's policies. The BJP and media were accused of unnecessary panic by Pitroda, who reiterated that the US inheritance tax was simply an example discussed in the broader context of taxation policies, not a specific proposal from the Congress party.
Overall, the dispute over inheritance tax and accusations of wealth redistribution became a focal point of the political campaigns, with both parties vehemently defending their positions and questioning each other's motives. The conflicting narratives created a charged atmosphere leading up to the Lok Sabha polls, underscoring the deep divide in ideologies and approaches between the Congress and the BJP.