Amid the ongoing Lok Sabha Elections 2024, Sam Pitroda, Chairman of the Indian Overseas Congress, has voiced support for implementing an inheritance tax system akin to that of the United States in India. He has endorsed the Congress party’s stance on wealth redistribution initiatives.
#WATCH | Chicago, US: Chairman of Indian Overseas Congress, Sam Pitroda says, “…In America, there is an inheritance tax. If one has $100 million worth of wealth and when he dies he can only transfer probably 45% to his children, 55% is grabbed by the government. That’s an… pic.twitter.com/DTJrseebFk
— ANI (@ANI) April 24, 2024
Pitroda highlighted the inheritance tax regime in the United States, where the government claims 55 percent of an individual’s wealth upon their demise, allowing only 45 percent to be transferred to their heirs. He emphasized the fairness of this system, where individuals are required to leave a portion of their wealth to the public, acknowledging the contributions made by successive generations.
Drawing a contrast with India’s current framework, Pitroda pointed out that in India, there is no such tax, resulting in heirs inheriting the entirety of their parents’ wealth without any obligation to contribute to public welfare. He urged for discussions and debates on these issues to foster a more equitable system in India.
Priyanka Gandhi On Mangalsutra Remark:
In a fiery address at a rally in Bengaluru, Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra took aim at Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent remarks regarding mangalsutras, invoking the sacrifices made by women in her family for the nation’s cause.
Denouncing the notion that the Congress intends to confiscate people’s mangalsutras and gold, Gandhi Vadra challenged the validity of such claims, highlighting the party’s long history in governance without such actions. She reminisced about her grandmother, former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, who contributed her own gold during times of war, emphasizing how her own mother’s mangalsutra symbolized sacrifice for the nation.
#WATCH | Bengaluru: Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra says, “From last 2 days it is being said that Congress Party wants to snatch your ‘Mangalsutra’ and your gold from you. The country has been independent for 70 years and there has been a Congress government for 55 years.… pic.twitter.com/CDHp0ZISQG
— ANI (@ANI) April 23, 2024
Referencing the tragic assassination of her father, Rajiv Gandhi, by Sri Lankan Tamil extremists in 1991, Gandhi Vadra underscored the deeply personal impact of such sacrifices on her family.
The mangalsutra, a sacred necklace worn by Hindu women, holds significant cultural and marital symbolism.
Prime Minister Modi’s remarks during an election rally in Rajasthan’s Banswara, insinuating that the Congress plans to redistribute people’s assets, including mangalsutras, drew sharp criticism from Gandhi Vadra and other Congress leaders. Former Union Minister P Chidambaram denounced Modi’s comments as indicative of the BJP’s fear of defeat and questioned the credibility of such claims.
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In response, the Congress has lodged a formal complaint with the Election Commission, alleging religious targeting by PM Modi during his Banswara rally. Sources indicate that the complaint is currently under the Election Commission’s consideration.
