'Zindagi Ke Saath, Zindagi Ke Baad': PM Modi Hits Out At 'Congress Loot' As Pitroda Remarks Give BJP Fresh Ammo

Prime Minister Narendra Modi sharpened his criticism of the Congress party on Wednesday over what he described as its “dangerous intentions”, armed with opposition functionary Sam Pitroda’s comments on an inheritance tax in the US that added fuel to a raging debate over wealth distribution in India’s politically charged election season.

In remarks that drew intense scrutiny by the BJP and prompted the Congress to distance itself from them, Pitroda could be heard talking in a video about a US law that “says…you must leave your wealth for the public [upon death] — not all of it, half of it — which to me sounds fair”. Pitroda was prompt to post a clarification with his comments snowballing into a major controversy. Congress leader Jairam Ramesh, too, tried dousing the flames in an X post, saying Pitroda “expresses his opinion freely” and they “not always reflect the position” of the party.

But PM Modi kept up the political pressure on the Congress, using Pitroda’s remarks to launch a fresh offensive. “Now, the Congress is saying there will be an inheritance tax on inheritance from parents…[If the Congress is voted to power] they will hit you with a higher tax rate till the time you are alive. And after that, they will impose an inheritance tax,” he said at an election rally in Chhattisgarh.

“The people, who have considered the Congress as their ancestral property and given it to their children, don’t want Indians to give their property to their children,” PM Modi said, in what is being seen as a reference to the Nehru-Gandhi family. “Your hard-earned property will not go to your children but to the Congress hand,” he added, referring to the party’s poll symbol.

“Their mantra is: Congress loot zindagi ke saath bhi aur zindagi ke baad bhi [Congress loot during and after lifetime],” PM Modi said in Hindi, echoing a phrase popularised by Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC)’s advertisements.

Pitroda’s comments add a new chapter to the ongoing wealth distribution debate. The Prime Minister has earlier asserted that the Congress aims to redistribute public wealth among Muslims, while the BJP has questioned the promise of a “nation-wide socio-economic and caste census” in the Congress manifesto. The opposition party has said its election manifesto does not mention any wealth redistribution survey, but the BJP has pointed to a video of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s speech on April 6, when he made a similar statement at the manifesto launch event.

Sam Pitroda’s Controversial Statement

Pitroda, Chairman of the Indian Overseas Congress, talked in detail about an inheritance tax, according to a video shared by news agency ANI.

“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 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.

“In India, you don’t have that…So these are the kind of issues people will have to debate and discuss. I don’t know what the conclusion would be at the end of the day but when we talk about redistributing wealth, we are talking about new policies and new programmes that are in the interest of the people and not in the interest of super-rich only,” he said, and added that there was nothing wrong in being rich.

BJP’s Reaction

Union Home Minister Amit Shah said, “After Sam Pitroda’s remark, the Congress party is completely exposed. They want to survey the private property of the people of the country, put it in government property and distribute it as per decision during UPA’s regime. Congress should either withdraw it from their manifesto or accept that it is indeed their intention.”

Hitting out at Pitroda’s suggestion, BJP’s national spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla wondered if such policies can do justice to citizens when there’s a huge gap between 55% wealth of a businessman and 55% wealth of a farmer.

“Ironically Gandhis built a huge treasury for their own children & son in law but they want to grab your hard earned tax payed resources,” he wrote on X (formerly Twitter), slamming the “closest aide of Gandhi-Vadra family”.

BJP leader Amit Malviya highlighted what he described as the Congress’s “destructive” plans. “The Congress has decided to destroy India. Now, Sam Pitroda advocates 50% inheritance tax for wealth redistribution. This means 50% of whatever we build, with all our hard work and enterprise, will be taken away. 50%, besides all the tax we pay, which too will go up, if the Congress prevails,” he wrote on X.

BJP spokesperson Jaiveer Shergill said voting for the Congress meant “losing your money, property and belongings”. He warned the voters to beware of “property snatchers”.

Congress Rebuttal

Hitting back at the BJP, senior Congress leader Pawan Khera asked: “Has he (Pitroda) said that the Congress will bring this policy? Has the Congress said it in its manifesto? Is discussing and debating different ideas not allowed in this ancient land of Shastrarth?

Supporting “mentor, friend, philosopher, and guide” Sam Pitroda, veteran Congress leader Jairam Ramesh said in firefight mode, “In a democracy an individual is at liberty to discuss, express, and debate his personal views. This does not mean that Pitroda’s views always reflect the position of the Indian National Congress. Many times they do not.”

“Sensationalising his comments now and tearing them out of context are deliberate and desperate attempts at diverting attention away from Modi’s mischievous election campaign; that is anchored ONLY in lies and more lies,” Ramesh wrote on X.

As controversy over his statement snowballed, Pitroda issued a clarification on X: “It is unfortunate that what I said as an individual on inheritance tax in the US is twisted by Godi media to divert attention from what lies PM is spreading about Congress manifesto. PM’s comments Mangal Sutra & gold snatching is simply unreal.”

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