New Delhi [India], April 24 : Coming down heavily on the chairman of the Indian Overseas Congress, Sam Pitroda, over his advocacy of a US-like inheritance tax in the country; Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) leader Malook Nagar on Wednesday questioned his 'state of mind'.
Earlier, expanding on the need for a policy towards wealth redistribution in the country, amid the massive political uproar over Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's alleged promise of a wealth survey in the country, if elected, Pitroda called for a dialogue around the induction of an 'inheritance tax' on the lines of the one that prevails in the US.
"As is well known, America levies an inheritance tax on its citizens. As per the law, a person holding 100 million USD in net worth can leave only 45 per cent of it behind for his children in the event of his death. The government of the state where he resided will lay claim and collect the remaining 55 per cent of his wealth. This, to me, is an interesting law as it says: you amassed wealth in your lifetime and before your death, you must leave one-half of it for the people. This sounds fair to me," Pitroda said earlier.
To this, Nagar, the national general secretary of the RLD, said, "Is he of a sound state of mind? I don't know. It's hard to understand what he tries to say these days. Beyond this, I don't wish to make any further comment."
Amid pushback, Pitroda sought to downplay his remark saying he only cited inheritance tax in the the US as an 'example'.
"Who said 55% 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," Pitroda posted from his official handle on X.
The Congress, meanwhile, distanced itself from Pitroda's comment, saying it does not reflect the party's views in any manner.
On Union Minister Smriti Irani's dig at Rahul Gandhi and his brother-in-law, Robert Vadra, amid the continuing suspense around the Congress' pick for Amethi, Nagar said, "He (Robert Vadra) is saying that several parties are willing to give him tickets (to contest Amethi). While the Congress and its partners in the INDI alliance are clearly at odds, with the fight often spilling out in public; the conflict, it seems, has now spread to the family as he (Vadra) is openly threatening (the Congress) that several parties want to put him on their ticket (from Amethi)."
Earlier, on Tuesday, Irani, who is seeking a fresh term from Amethi on the BJP ticket, said, "(The brother-in-law is eyeing Amethi, what will the brother do?)".
"Though I am not sure if Rahul Gandhi does, his brother-in-law sure knows Jagdishpur. The people of Jagdishpur need to stay alert. If his brother-in-law knows Jagdishpur like he says he does, every village, every house, and every person there should ensure that their property papers are in safe-keeping," she added.
Meanwhile, even as the Congress remains undecided on its choice for the Amethi Lok Sabha seat, posters of Robert Vadra went up outside a party office on Wednesday in the Gauriganj area of the constituency.