Wealth Tax, "Yuvraj" Swipe And Democracy: PM Modi In Interview

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has strongly criticised the Congress again on its push for redistribution of wealth through measures such as inheritance tax, calling them "dangerous problems disguised as solutions."

"Would you work day and night if the government takes away your money at the end in the name of redistribution?" PM Modi said in an interview to The Times of India.

He also took a swipe at Congress Rahul Gandhi as "Yuvraj", adding the actions of the Opposition are examples of a scorched Earth policy.

Ideas such as wealth tax would "kill" startups and are actually methods to please "the Opposition's vote bank," the Prime Minister said. Such ideas carry the risk of creating "complete and irreversible communal disharmony," he said.

"I do not think they are solutions by any stretch of imagination," PM Modi said, and pointed out that they are dangerous problems disguised as solutions."

"If we really want to ensure people's growth, we just need to remove barriers and empower them. This unleashes their entrepreneurial potential as we have seen in our country; even in tier 2 or 3 cities, which are given rise to a lot of startups and sports stars," he said.

PM Modi said wealth redistribution and wealth tax have never been successful because they never removed poverty, but only distributed it so that everyone was equally poor.

"Congress's Idea To Ensure Poverty Becomes Uniform"

"The poor remain stricken with poverty, wealth creation stops and poverty becomes uniform. These policies sow discord and block every road to equity, they create hatred and destabilise the economic as well as social fabric of a nation," he said.

Congress leader Sam Pitroda today last week stoked the debate over the BJP's allegations that the Congress is planning a redistribution of wealth. Mr Pitroda's example of an inheritance tax in the US added fuel to the fire that the Congress has been trying to douse.

"In America, there is an inheritance tax. If one has $100 million worth of wealth and when he dies he can only transfer probably 45 per cent to his children, 55 per cent is grabbed by the government. That's an interesting law..." Mr Pitroda had said.

The Prime Minister said inheritance tax is a "sinister plan" of the Congress party and should be considered as a "very real" threat that "stands to hurt our nation irreversibly." He called the Congress's proposal for an X-ray or social-economic survey to redistribute wealth "a clear example of Maoist thinking and ideology."

"It is saddening to see the Congress party and its Yuvraj carrying forward such Maoist vision which is a recipe for disaster. You would have seen the Yuvraj saying that we will do an X-ray. This X-ray is nothing but raiding every home. They will raid farmers to see how much land they possess. They will raid the common man to see how much wealth the person has earned through hard work. They will raid the ornaments of our women," he said.

"Our Constitution protects the property of all minorities. This means that when Congress talks of redistribution, it cannot touch the properties of minorities; it cannot consider Waqf properties for redistribution, but it will eye the properties of other communities. This will sow complete and irreversible communal disharmony," PM Modi said.

On "Threat To Democracy"

Responding to a query on criticism by the Opposition alleging threat to democracy and that the country is moving towards being an "electoral autocracy", PM Modi said the Opposition is not able to come to power, so they have started defaming India on the world stage.

"They spread lies about our people, our democracy, and our institutions. India does not become an electoral autocracy if the Yuvraj cannot automatically get power. Just because he has to fight elections and the people of India are not impressed by him doesn't make India less democratic. I don't think there are many takers for such charges in foreign capitals," PM Modi said.

The Prime Minister said the past 10 years - he became PM in 2014 - will be remembered for creating the maximum number of opportunities across all three segments - public sector, private sector, and entrepreneurship.

Role In Conflict-Ridden World

PM Modi explained how India has been steering itself in a conflict-ridden world. He said the world respects India for being able to ensure that fuel and energy prices for its citizens stayed in control despite the global conflicts.

"Whenever I meet world leaders, I see that their interest and attraction for India is increasing. They see the situation in their countries and compare it with how India is a nation brimming with optimism and opportunities. I see genuine respect for India and Indians. Yes, the world is today filled with conflicts and chaos, but there are islands of calm and growth like India. India's role is more important in the world than ever before," PM Modi said.

He refuted the Congress's allegations that the BJP is attempting communal polarisation through election campaign speeches. PM Modi said it was not polarisation to show that the Congress has violated the Constitution and enacted laws providing reservation on religious lines.

He cited the actions of the Congress government in Karnataka that reversed a law passed by the BJP to provide reservation to Other Backward Classes (OBCs). The Congress instead gave it to Muslims, classifying all Muslims as OBC, PM Modi said. Now, the Congress government in Telangana wants to replicate it, he added.

"This proves that the Congress wants to reduce the reservation provided to SCs, STs and OBCs across the country and give it to minorities. What else can one expect from a party whose Prime Minister said that minorities have the first right on resources of this country?" PM Modi said, referring to a 2006 speech by former Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh.

PM Modi said the Uniform Civil Code is one of the core agendas of the BJP. "We will do everything in our capacity to make the Uniform Civil Code a reality," he said.

On Arvind Kejriwal's Arrest

On whether the arrest of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal would become a precedent, PM Modi said, "I am optimistic that this will not become a precedent. I feel other politicians won't be so lacking in morals and will not go to this extent."

He also rubbished the Opposition's allegations that the government has been misusing central agencies, particularly the Central Bureau of Investigation and the Enforcement Directorate to target Opposition leaders.

PM Modi said only a small fraction of the agencies' cases is related to political figures.

"Of the corruption cases probed by the ED, only 3 per cent involve politicians. The remaining 97 per cent are linked to officials and criminals. Action is being taken against them too. Over the last 11 years, out of 10,622 preliminary inquiries and regular cases being investigated by the CBI, only about 1-1.5 per cent of the total cases involved politicians," PM Modi said.

With inputs from ANI