Priyanka Gandhi: Inheritance tax, wealth redistribution can't be dismissed as 'populist'

I want to put forth an interesting fact.

Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Saturday hit out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi for attacking her party over inheritance tax and wealth redistribution and asserted these assumptions were illogical.

Addressing a campaign rally at Udgir in Latur district, she claimed unemployment was at its highest in 45 years and 70 crore people were without jobs, despite which 30 lakh posts lying vacant in the Central government have not been filled in the last ten years.

''If the BJP claims nothing happened in the past 70 years (under previous dispensations) then let us believe that IITs, AIIMS, big industries etc were all built now,'' she said, adding that the ruling party was ''ranting'' all the time about the Congress being at fault.

Hitting out at the NDA government, she said there is an uncle in every wedding who gripes about everything and gives sermons.

''Now, if this uncle says there is a political party that will bring an X-ray machine into your house, scan all your savings, mangalsutras and gold, which will be taken and the wealth redistributed, you would say he has lost it,'' Gandhi said.

But these are the same things Modi is putting forward by using his position, she claimed.

Earlier this week, Congress Rahul Gandhi had said those who call themselves ''deshbhakt'' were afraid of the ''X-ray of caste census''.

Taking off on the medical term, PM Modi had said the Congress wants to confiscate people's jewellery and small savings by conducting X-ray of their properties and valuables.

''Listen with your ears wide open about the sins that the Congress has committed. I want to put forth an interesting fact. When sister Indira Gandhi passed away, there was a law by virtue of which half portion of the wealth used to go to the government. There was a talk then that Indiraji willed her wealth in her son Rajiv Gandhi's name,'' the prime minister had said.

Speaking in Latur, Priyanka Gandhi said the country had seen great prime ministers from the Congress fold as well as from other parties, like Atal Bihari Vajpayee, but ''he (Modi) has brought down the stature of the prime minister this low''.

''Instead of seeking votes for the work done in the last 10 years, he is resorting to illogical talks about a political party wanting to steal your ornaments using an X-ray machine,'' she claimed.

Hitting out at the BJP over the electoral bonds scheme, Gandhi alleged those who donated money to the ruling party were first raided by central probe agencies.

These raids stopped after funds came in from these companies in the form of electoral bonds, Gandhi further alleged.

The AICC general secretary also said GST (Goods and Services Tax) has been imposed on every (piece of) agricultural equipment and promised to abolish it after Congress comes to power.

Gandhi alleged democracy was being weakened while in Maharashtra, legislators were bought, governments toppled, and parties were being split.

''There is no bigger crime than what is happening to democracy,'' she added.

Congress has fielded eye surgeon Shivaji Kalge in Latur (SC) Lok Sabha constituency against BJP's sitting MP Sudhakar Shrangare.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)