Sam Pitroda's remarks put Congress on the back foot

Indian Overseas Congress chairman Sam Pitroda has advocated for United States-like inheritance tax in India and backed Congress' stand on wealth redistribution plans.Sam Pitroda has said that in the United States, there is an inheritance tax according to which the US government is entitled to claim 55 per cent share of a person's wealth while the owner can transfer only 45 per cent share to his children or family. Sam Pitroda on Wednesday said that his statement on US inheritance tax was twisted to ‘deflect attention’ from the core issues.Pitroda’s clarification came after the Congress party distanced itself from his remarks and after the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders slammed him over his remarks on the redistribution of wealth.Pitroda had, in an interview, reportedly advocated a US-type inheritance tax law in the country, even as the Congress party said his views did not always reflect the party's position. Inheritance tax refers to a state levy on the assets an individual receives as part of an inheritance. The US has no central inheritance tax, though some states have it.

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 kind of issues people will have to discuss and debate. This has nothing to do with policy of any party including congress.

— Sam Pitroda (@sampitroda) April 24, 2024

Pitroda, on April 23, seemingly backed the Congress party’s stand on redistribution of wealth and advocated an inheritance tax law in the country while elaborating on the concept of inheritance tax prevailing in the United States.  “In America, there is an inheritance tax. If one has 100 million USD worth of wealth and when he dies, he can only transfer probably 45 percent to his children, 55 percent 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," Pitroda said in an interview.
Pitroda's comments in this election year have sparked a political row, with top BJP leaders, including the Prime Minister and the Home Minister, hitting out at the Congress party. Responding to Sam Pitroda's inheritance tax statement, Congress General Secretary in-charge Communications, Jairam Ramesh said, "Sam Pitroda has been a mentor, friend, philosopher, and guide to many across the world, including me... Pitroda expresses his opinions freely on issues he feels strongly about. Surely, 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.