PM fighting imaginary ghosts, should debate 'real' issues in Cong manifesto: Chidambaram
New Delhi (PTI): Taking a swipe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, senior Congress leader P Chidambaram on Sunday said the PM has imagined a Congress manifesto written by one of his ghost speech writers and he should debate the real issues included in the document.
Chidambaram's remarks come amid repeated attacks by the prime minister over Congress leader Sam Pitroda's 'inheritance tax' comments amid the row on the issue of 'wealth redistribution'.
"The Hon'ble Prime Minister continues to discover and read in the Congress' manifesto words and sentences that are not there! He has imagined a Congress' manifesto written by one of his ghost speech writers," Chidambaram, who was the chairman of the committee that drafted the Congress manifesto, said.
The phrase 'inheritance tax' does not occur anywhere in the manifesto, the former finance minister said in his post on X.
"The Congress' promises on taxation are quite clear: Bring an era of transparency, equity, clarity and impartial tax administration of Direct Taxes; Maintain stable personal income tax rates for the term of 5 years; Lessen the burden of tax on MSMEs," Chidambaram said.
He further said that the Congress promises to end the duplicitous 'cess' Raj of the Modi government and shopkeepers and retail businesses will be given significant tax relief and GST 2.0 will be introduced.
"It is disappointing to see the Hon'ble PM fight imaginary ghosts. He should debate the 'real' issues included in the Congress' Manifesto," Chidambaram said.
In a statement on Thursday, Chidambaram had said the "manufactured" controversies on 'redistribution of wealth' and 'inheritance tax' showed that fear has gripped the BJP, which has fallen back on distortion, falsehoods and abuse" as 'Modi ki Guarantee' has vanished without a trace.
Chidambaram had asserted that the document is religion-neutral and promises justice for all sections of the people.
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PM Modi will continue to lead, asserts Amit Shah on Kejriwal's "75 years age rule in BJP" remarks
Hyderabad, May 11: Top BJP leader Amit Shah on Saturday asserted Prime Minister Narendra Modi will continue to lead the country post 2024 Lok Sabha polls and hit out at Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal for claiming the PM was seeking votes for making Shah his successor, citing the 75 years age 'rule'.
There was nothing written in the BJP's constitution on any such age ceiling, Shah told reporters here. There was no confusion in the BJP over the matter.
Shah was responding to Kejriwal's claim that Modi was asking for votes for the Union Home Minister to make him PM as the prime minister would turn 75 next year.
"I would like to tell Arvind Kejriwal and company and the whole Indi alliance, Modi becomes 75, there is no need for you to feel happy. It is not written anywhere in BJP's constitution. Modi will complete the term and will continue to lead the country. There is no confusion in BJP on this," Shah told reporters here.
Kejriwal had charged that Modi is asking for votes for Shah.
"These people ask INDIA bloc about their (PM) face. I ask BJP who will be their PM? Modi ji is turning 75 on September 17 next year. He had made the rule that people aged 75 will be retired. They retired LK Advani, Murli Manohar Joshi, Sumitra Mahajan," Kejriwal said.
"He (Modi) will retire next year. He is seeking votes for making Amit Shah the prime minister. Will Shah fulfill Modiji's guarantee?" the CM, out on bail in the Delhi Excise Policy scam, asked.
Further, Shah launched a scathing attack on Congress and its leaders, alleging that due to the fear of Pakistan having a nuclear bomb, the grand old party wants to give up India's rights over Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir (PoK).
On Saturday, Shah addressed election rallies at Vikarabad and Nagarkurnool in Telangana and later a press conference here on the last day of campaigning for the May 13 Lok Sabha polls in the state.
He also said if Kejriwal thinks that Supreme Court's interim bail is a clean chit, then his understanding with regard to law is poor.
The home minister also expressed confidence that the BJP would emerge as the largest party in South India in terms of Lok Sabha seats.
The BJP is confident of winning more than 10 Lok Sabha seats in Telangana, he said.
In his address at a rally at Vikarabad, Shah recalled that former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee had conducted nuclear tests at Pokhran on this day in 1998 and made the country a nuclear power.
The Congress does not have the courage to conduct surgical strike and airstrikes, he alleged.
He said PM Modi did surgical strikes and air strikes within 10 days after Pakistan terrorists attacked the country and "finished them".
Referring to the reported comments of Congress leader Mani Shankar Aiyar and that of National Conference leader Farooq Abdullah on Pakistan having an atom bomb, the home minister said he would like to ask Rahul Gandhi if PoK would be given to the neighbouring country because of it possessing a nuclear bomb.
"As long as BJP is there, it cannot happen" and PoK belongs to India and we will take it, he said.
"They don't feel shame. Due to fear of an atom bomb, they want to give up our rights over PoK. But you don't worry, Modi ji is going to be Prime Minister again and Pakistan's bullets will be replied to with cannon," Shah said.
On AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge's alleged comments as to what Telangana people have to do with Kashmir, Shah said the state's youth can give their life for Kashmir.
PM Modi has ended terror and naxalism in the country, he said.
Referring to Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy's comments on surgical strikes, he asked, "Revanth Reddy, where did you keep your mind? You kept it in Italy?".
Reddy on Friday claimed an intelligence failure in preventing the Pulwama incident of 2019 when a terror strike on Indian troops left about 40 CRPF personnel dead.
"Modi ji tried to take political benefit from the surgical strike after Pulwama incident. My question to Modi ji is, what are you doing? Why did the Pulwama incident happen? Why did you let it happen? What are you doing about internal security?
"Why did you not use agencies like IB, RAW? It is your failure. Nobody knows if a surgical strike actually took place or not," Reddy had said.
