New Delhi: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Wednesday took a sharp jibe at the Congress over 'inheritance tax' remark made by its functionary Sam Pitroda, adding fuel to an already ongoing debate over ‘wealth distribution’ plan proposed by the grand-old party in its Lok Sabha election manifesto.  

BJP National Spokesperson Shehzad Poonawala sharpened his criticism of the Congress using LIC tagline and wrote on X, “Loot lenge sab kuch Zindagi ke saath bhi Zindagi ke baad bhi (we will loot everything. During life as well even after life).” The BJP leader attached a poster in his X post which has LIC tagline written on it along with the picture of Congress Leader Rahul Gandhi and Sam Pitroda. 

In remarks that drew flak 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”. 

He was quick to issue clarification as his comments stoked a political row, giving ammunition to the ruling BJP. Congress leader Jairam Ramesh also attempted dousing the flames in an X post, saying Pitroda “expresses his opinion freely” and they “not always reflect the position” of the party.

PM Modi's LIC Tagline Jibe 

The debate around wealth distribution and Pitroda's fresh comment mounted when PM Modi launched a fresh offensive against the Congress while addressing an election rally in Chhattisgarh. “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. 

“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.

Sam Pitroda's Controversial Remark 

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.

While the BJP went all against the remark, Congress went into a defensive mode. 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?