The much-talked-about inheritance tax is being advocated by the Congress and the BJP has no plans to either implement or consider it, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Sunday in an exclusive interview with the News18 Network amid the high-octane Lok Sabha battle.
Responding to Network18’s Group Editor Rahul Joshi, the prime minister said: “When one of their ‘mahashay’ gave an interview in America where he brought up the issue of inheritance tax, about 55 per cent tax on your property. Now I am talking about development and inheritance and they are talking of plundering that inheritance. Their history till date is about doing what they have mentioned in the manifesto. It is my responsibility to tell the countrymen that they are taking the country in this direction. Now you decide whether you want to go or not. But it is my responsibility that on the basis of facts and importance, I should tell you [the truth].”
PM Modi, clearing the air on the BJP’s stand on inheritance tax, said the saffron party’s ideology was clear. “What the Bharatiya Janata Party plans to do is written in our manifesto. How does the thought that we will carry forward their plan even come to your mind? The ideology of the BJP is clear. We go before the country with our manifesto and works. Please don’t impose their great thoughts on us,” he told News18, in a reference to Congress leader Sam Pitroda’s recent remarks.
Pitroda, the US-based president of the Congress’s overseas wing, sparked a controversy as he spoke about inheritance tax in the US while delving into the issue of redistribution of wealth. The comments provided fodder to the BJP and saw the Grand Old Party rushing to distance itself from the remarks.
Inheritance tax is a tax levied on the total value of money and property of a deceased person before it is distributed to their legal heirs. India, at present, has no such system.
The prime minister also shared his views on the Congress manifesto, his vision for the country’s future and the BJP’s electoral strategy. The full interview will go live on News18 channels and digital platforms at 9pm on Monday, April 29.
‘WEALTH REDISTRIBUTION AN URBAN NAXAL THOUGHT’
The prime minister, when asked about Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s statement on conducting an X-ray or a social-economic survey that will look at which sections are behind and will redistribute wealth accordingly, termed it an “urban Naxal” thought.
“X-ray means raiding every household. If any woman has hidden gold where she stores grains, even that will be X-rayed. The jewels will be confiscated. Land records will be scrutinised. And these will be redistributed. This Maoist ideology has never helped the world. This is an entirely ‘Urban Naxal’ thought,” the prime minister said.
He added: “This is why the Jamaat, which usually keeps writing, kept quiet about the manifesto even after 10 days, because it will help them. They kept quiet to protect them. It then becomes my responsibility to awaken the country to the fact that they are planning to loot you. The next part is, Dr Manmohan Singh has said clearly who has the first right to the country’s resources. They have clearly stated their intentions.”
‘CONGRESS MANIFESTO CARRIES IMPRINT OF MUSLIM LEAGUE’
Criticising the manifesto of the Grand Old Party, the prime minister asked if the manifestos of political parties during polls should be a “mere showpiece”.
“I had commented on the manifesto on the first day. After seeing the manifesto, I feel that it has the stamp of the Muslim League. I thought that the media will be shocked. But they just kept saying whatever was presented by the Congress,” PM Modi said. He added: “I waited for 10 days that the evils in the manifesto would be brought out by someone or the other because if it is brought out in an unbiased manner, it is good. Finally, I was forced to bring out these truths.”
‘VIBRANT ECONOMY’
Talking about the economic and banking reforms that the government has been able to undertake in the last 10 years, the prime minister said: “We opened 52 crore bank accounts, and I took the biggest advantage of it. I took the trinity of Jan Dhan, mobile and Aadhaar and encouraged Direct Benefit Transfer. A sum of Rs 36 lakh crore — the figure is very big — has gone into people’s accounts [via Direct Benefit Transfer]. This huge financial inclusion has happened in our country [due to opening of accounts]. This is more than the number of accounts that would have opened in the world in a year. There is Jal Jeevan Mission in our country. In India, 3-4 per cent of the villages would get water from taps in their homes, that too in urban localities. Today, tap water has reached 14 crore rural families.”
PM Modi said the developmental work is what helped 25 crore people come out of poverty. “We have empowered them. My strategy is that we give so much strength to the poor, so much power, that the poor themselves overcome poverty. And when the poor overcome poverty with their hard work, after that they do not want to go back to poverty. It becomes a commitment, and they become the strength of the country,” the prime minister told News18.
“Today, we are benefiting as 25 crore people have come out of poverty. It is a very big achievement, the world is praising it, and this will become a model for the developing countries. You see, what was the situation before 2014? ‘Fragile 5’ used to be the headline. Today, we have become a vibrant economy,” he said.
The prime minister, while sharing statistics, said in the International Monetary Fund (IMF), there is a group of 150 countries of the world — which includes China and India — which can be called developing countries or countries with an emerging economy.
“They analysed such a group by classifying them together. It is a very interesting observation. In 1998, India’s per capita GDP was around 30 per cent, compared to others in the peer group. At that time, Atal ji’s government was in power. From 1998 to 2004, Atal ji took this figure from 30 per cent to 35 per cent. It was a good progress. But unfortunately, in 2004, this khichdi company came and this khichdi company ruined the work of Atal ji. They brought the number down from 35 per cent to 30 per cent. All these countries [in the peer group] performed better than India. During the UPA regime, India became poorer compared to the other countries in the developing world. Those poorer than us went ahead.”
He added: “But in 2014, after the formation of the government, till 2019, you will be happy to know that we took the figure to 37 per cent. And when I reached the year 2024, this figure was 42 per cent. That means our income has grown very fast as compared to other countries of the world. If you look at the inflation rate in the period of ten years, which is discussed so much, then these ten years have seen the lowest inflation. What I am saying is on the basis of reality. We have achieved this after a lot of hard work. We have mobilised the entire government, and we have put in our best efforts to achieve the target. Despite that, what does Modi say? Modi says this is just a trailer, I have to go further. I want to move very fast, taking the country along with me.”
‘BENGALURU: FROM TECH HUB TO TANKER HUB’
Shifting his focus to the BJP’s regional aspirations, PM Modi said the people of Karnataka were regretting electing the Congress.
“Our public support has not gone down; in fact, it has increased. But, in such a short time, they still have unresolved issues like the post of chief minister. While the CM has taken oath, it has not been settled who it really is. If you look at the law-and-order situation, there are riots and murders taking place; the economic condition is in a state of complete bankruptcy. The deputy CM is asking for votes for his brother so that he can become chief minister. So everyone is playing games. So far as the BJP is concerned, we are working with team spirit even if my team was defeated.”
Taking a dig at the state government’s inability to satiate Karnataka’s thirst, PM Modi said: “Look at Bengaluru, it has played a big role in raising India’s reputation across the world. Bengaluru used to be known as the tech hub and now, in no time, it has been turned into a tanker hub. And tankers also have a mafia culture. People are yearning for water.”
Check Lok Sabha Election 2024 Phase 3 Schedule, Key Candidates And Constituencies At News18 Website.
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