New Delhi:

Former Union Minister and Member of Parliament Anurag Singh Thakur took part in a unique initiative to spread awareness about Tuberculosis (TB) on Sunday. In a friendly cricket match named TB Free India Awareness Cricket Match, he captained the Lok Sabha Speaker XI team while Union Minister Kiren Rijiju led the Rajya Sabha Chairman XI.

Mr Thakur scored an unbeaten 111 runs playing a captaincy innings, owing to which the Speaker 11 team defeated the Chairman 11 by 73 runs, according to an official press release.

टीबी हारेगा, देश जीतेगा!

आदरणीय प्रधानमंत्री श्री @narendramodi जी के वर्ष 2025 तक भारत से टीबी की समाप्ति के संकल्प को साकार करने की दिशा में लोकसभा अध्यक्ष XI Vs. राज्यसभा सभापति XI के बीच टीबी मुक्त भारत जागरूकता क्रिकेट मैच का भव्य आयोजन हुआ।

मुख्य अतिथि आदरणीय लोकसभा… pic.twitter.com/z7LpIswPkC

— Anurag Thakur (@ianuragthakur) December 15, 2024

Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla inaugurated the match by releasing the Tricolor balloons in the air, while in the closing ceremony of the match, Union Minister Piyush Goyal distributed prizes to the players and encouraged them.

All the MPs took the field wearing a special kind of jersey, which read – TB Harega Aur Bharat Jitega (TB will lose and India will win).

एक फ़्रेंडली क्रिकेट मैच के साथ आज हमारे सांसदों ने #TBMuktBharat का मैसेज दिया है। स्वस्थ प्रतिस्पर्धा के साथ खेले गए इस मैच का एक ही लक्ष्य है; TB haarega, Desh jeetega!
माननीय सांसदों के ऐसे प्रयास देश भर के युवाओं को सकारात्मक दिशा की ओर प्रेरित करते हैं। मुझे आशा है कि संसद… pic.twitter.com/NrFYzrFFGe

— Om Birla (@ombirlakota) December 15, 2024

The match was played at Major Dhyanchand Stadium in Delhi and Lok Sabha Speaker XI batted first.

Captain Anurag Thakur completed his century in 59 balls and scored an unbeaten 111 runs facing a total of 65 balls.

Lok Sabha Speaker XI team set a target of 251 runs in front of Chairman 11 team after losing 7 wickets in 20 overs.

In response, the Chairman 11 team could score only 178 runs after losing 8 wickets, in which former cricketer Mohammad Azharuddin scored the highest 74 runs facing 42 balls.

Anurag Thakur was awarded the Man of the Match for his performance. The best bowler was Deepender Hooda, best fielder Nishikant Dubey, best batsman Mohammad Azharuddin, golden duck jointly by Ram Mohan Naidu and Imran Pratapgarhi, super six by K. Sudhakar, super catch by Manoj Tiwari, maximum boundaries by Anurag Thakur, fighter of the match title was given to Chandrashekhar Azad.

Mr Birla, who arrived to inaugurate this match congratulated the MPs for taking part in the awareness game.

“The Parliament of India represents 140 crore people and expects that the society should benefit from the experience of the public representatives. We have to make India TB free by 2025 and this friendly match of MPs will work to spread awareness about TB eradication. I congratulate all the MPs participating in this match and the organiser of this program Anurag Singh Thakur ji that they have made a meaningful effort towards eradicating a disease like TB. If we all work with full determination to spread awareness about TB elimination in our respective areas, then we will definitely be successful in eradicating TB from India,” he said.

Piyush Goyal said, “First of all, I would like to congratulate Anurag Thakur ji, the organiser of this wonderful and successful program, who won everyone’s heart with his batting today and who brought so many MPs on one platform to spread awareness. Anurag ji had given a message against TB by organising a similar match in 2018 and after today’s match, I am hopeful that his resolution will go across the country and such matches will be organised in many other cities as well. I am sure that such events will give more strength to the resolution of the Hon’ble Prime Minister to make India TB free by 2025.

Mr Thakur said, “Prime Minister Narendra Modi ji has set a target of making India TB free by 2025. And to spread awareness towards achieving this target, selected MPs from all parties of the Indian Parliament participated in this friendly cricket match named TB Free India Awareness Cricket Match. Awareness about TB should reach every corner of the country. To promote this cause, we have united with team spirit, without any politics.”

“Our endeavour is that such events should continue to be held in the future and the state governments of various states should also come forward to spread awareness against TB through such events. The target of eradicating TB worldwide is 2031. If you see, from 2015 till now, there has been a 38 percent decline in TB-related deaths in India. There is an approximate 18 percent decline in new cases. It has decreased by approximately 8 percent worldwide. This means India is doing better than the world. Today, there is a treatment for it and the government also provides free medicines. It also gives Rs 1,000 for nutrition,” he added.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

New Delhi:

With Congress leader Charanjit Singh Channi giving a breach of privilege notice against Prime Minister Narendra Modi for sharing the speech of Anurag Thakur made in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday, PTI sources said that the BJP MP’s remarks are part of the parliamentary record and the breach of privilege notice does not hold ground.

After the opposition members, including Samajwadi Party leader Akhilesh Yadav, objected to some of his remarks made during his speech on the union budget, Anurag Thakur said he had not named any member.

Sources said Anurag Thakur’s remarks are part of parliamentary records and his remarks have not been expunged.

Slamming Congress over its protests, Union Ministers and BJP leaders said Anurag Thakur did not name anyone.

Union Minister of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution Pralhad Joshi said Congress is resorting to excuses.

“He (Anurag Thakur) did not ask the caste. Those who don’t know caste are speaking about Caste Census. He did not name anyone, so why are you taking it upon yourself? Anurag Thakur clarified it on the floor of the House. They need an excuse. The intention is to divert the issue. From Pandit Nehru to Indira Gandhi, to Rajiv Gandhi – everybody has opposed reservation for OBC…,” he said.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju accused the Congress of hatching a conspiracy to divide the country based on caste.

“I condemn what Congress has done, they keep talking about castes all the time…they ask the castes of media people and army personnel…Congress has hatched a conspiracy to divide the country based on castes…they keep asking about everyone’s castes, but Rahul Gandhi’s caste can’t be asked…are they above the country and Parliament?…they want to weaken democracy and country’s economy, they want to spread anarchy and violence,” he said.

Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge also spoke on Anurag Thakur’s remarks and said PM Modi should not have lauded the speech.

“Taunting in the House, this doesn’t happen in Parliament. Nobody’s caste is asked in the Parliament…He (Anurag Thakur) said this purposely to insult him (Rahul Gandhi). This is not right. Several of their (BJP) senior leaders have had intercaste marriages. They should look at themselves in the mirror and then speak…He (Anurag Thakur) is immature but was there a need for the Prime Minister to tweet?” Kharge asked.

“Several of their leaders are in an intercaste or interfaith marriage. Will they ask about everyone’s caste? This is wrong, I condemn this. I also condemn the tweet of the Prime Minister. PM Modi should know where to speak and who to defend. Leaving that aside, he is talking about inflaming sentiments. This should not be allowed in Parliament, it should be expunged,” he said.

Channi, a former Punjab Chief Minister who is MP from Jalandhar, wrote to Speaker Om Birla giving notice of a breach of privilege against PM Modi.

“I have moved a privilege motion against the PM. I have written to the Lok Sabha Speaker that it was contempt of the House when the PM tweeted and promoted the certain objectionable remarks made by Anurag Thakur after they were expunged from House records,” Channi said.

He said PM Modi’s “tweeting of remarks which had been expunged from the proceedings of Lok Sabha clearly amounts to a breach of privilege and contempt of the House” and urged the Speaker to admit his motion.

Former Karnataka CM and BJP MP Basavaraj Bommai said he is shocked over the Congress protest.

“How can the caste census be without asking the caste?… If they think they were insulted (by Anurag Thakur), they are insulting the whole country by asking for a caste census. They are talking about caste census,… then why is it an insult when someone asks them their caste?” he asked.

BJP MP Sambit Patra asked when Anurag Thakur “did not name anyone why only one person felt bad”.

“The number of 99 (Congress strength in Lok Sabha) and the game of arrogance of Congress party… When Anurag Thakur yesterday spoke without naming anyone, why did only one person feel bad, and on his direction, all members of Congress stood up? This is the kind of behaviour that will be shown on asking about one’s caste?…The caste of media personnel, administrative officers, judges and also army soldiers can be asked but if someone asks you your caste you start talking,” he said.

The Congress has said several times that it is committed to conducting a caste census in the country.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

New Delhi:

The debate on Budget 2024 in Lok Sabha today saw an explosive exchange between Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav and BJP MP Anurag Thakur over the Agnipath scheme.

Mr Yadav, MP from Uttar Pradesh’s Kannauj, said this is a “budget of despair” but people in the government are praising it. He said there was nothing in the budget for the unemployed, youngsters and villages. “Those with family know how difficult it is to run the household, provide education to children and take care of the treatment of the elderly,” Mr Yadav said.

Shifting focus to Uttar Pradesh, the former Chief Minister said, “You showed the Make in India dream, but Uttar Pradesh did not get any big project even though we got a Prime Minister. Did we get an IIM or an IIT? Which central institution was set up? The Samajwadi Party government gave land for two AIIMS in Raebareli and Gorakhpur, but are people getting adequate treatment there?”

Taking a swipe at the BJP for its lack-lustre show in Uttar Pradesh in this general election, he said, “Results in UP showed how much you worked, would results be like this if you did everything right?”

He then quoted shayari by Wasim Barelvi. “Woh jhoot bol raha tha bade salike se, main aitbaar na karta toh kya karta? (He lied with such finesse, I had no option but to believe)” he said, to cheers from the Opposition benches.

Referring to the train derailment in Jharkhand, Mr Yadav said, “Ever since the government has taken over, there is a competition between rail accidents and paper leaks.”

The Samajwadi Party chief questioned if the ruling party has fulfilled its promise of doubling farmers’ income. “You say you are giving MSP (Minimum Support Price), then why are you denying a legal guarantee.”

Moving to the Agnipath scheme for short-term recruitment in the armed forces, Mr Yadav said, “No youngster preparing to join the forces can accept it. When this scheme came, prominent industrialists were asked to tweet that there is no better job and they will rehire them (Agniveers) once their four-year stint ended.”

“But the government knows it is not a good scheme, that’s why it is asking BJP-led state governments to give job quota to Agniveers,” he added.

When BJP MP and former Union minister Anurag Thakur opposed his remarks, Mr Yadav dared him to say that Agnipath is a good scheme and sat down.

“I come from Himachal Pradesh, which gave the country its first Param Vir Chakra awardee, the late Major Somnath Sharma. Most martyrs in Kargil were from Himachal. It is the Narendra Modi government that fulfilled the long-pending demand of One Rank One Pension. I am saying this, Agniveer has 100 per cent employment guarantee,” Mr Thakur responded.

Mr Yadav then asked, “Then what is the need for state governments giving quota (for Agniveers). I went to a military school, we can also count Param Vir Chakras.”

The former Union Minister stood up again and said, “He has just gone to a military school, I am serving as Territorial Army captain. Akhilesh ji, don’t give gyan.”

Hitting back, Mr Yadav took a swipe at Mr Thakur not getting a ministerial berth this time. “Maybe he is agitated because he is no longer a minister. I read pain on your face,” he said.

Before he ended his address, Mr Yadav took a parting shot at the Narendra Modi government. “This government is not one that would run, it is a government that will topple.”

Hamirpur:

Targeting Congress for “misleading” the country’s youth by spreading false propaganda on the Agnipath scheme, Union Minister for Information and Broadcasting and Youth and Sports Anurag Thakur said on Sunday that the game-changing initiative of Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government guarantees 100 per cent employment.

“Every Congress leader is misleading the youth by lying about the scheme which guarantees 100 per cent employment,” Anurag Thakur said while campaigning in the Hamirpur constituency which goes to polls on June 1.

Asserting that the scheme allows India’s youth to serve the country by joining the Armed Forces, Mr Thakur mentioned that it is a win-win situation for all as youngsters exiting after four years will not only get a service fund package but also jobs in various Public Sector Undertakings.

“All BJP-ruled state governments have provided 10-20 per cent reservation in the state police for these young comrades. Reservations have also been made in the Central government’s paramilitary forces. Not only that, they have been given many concessions in selection. Congress should stop misleading the youth and should not play with their future,” the Union Minister said.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has claimed that the Agnipath scheme has been brought against the will of armed forces and if the INDIA bloc is voted to power, the party will discard it immediately.

“Rahul Gandhi will go to Italy or Bangkok but the Agniveers will continue to serve the country. It is PM Modi who named islands after 21 Param Vir Chakra awardees, cleared the One Rank-One Pension scheme, gave the latest arms and ammunition to our forces, got Rafale fighters, built INS Vikrant and Brahmos missiles… What did the Congress do for 40 years except for encouraging corruption and getting kickbacks in defence deals?” the BJP leader questioned.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Hamirpur:

Citing a new report on India’s demographic transition, Information and Broadcasting Minister Anurag Thakur wondered how Muslims can feel insecure in the country, especially when their population has reportedly increased by 45 per cent and they have been equal recipients of government welfare programmes.

A working paper on population trends released recently by the Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister said the population of majority Hindus declined by 7.82 per cent between 1950 and 2015 while that of Muslims increased by 43.15 per cent, suggesting that there is a conducive environment to foster diversity. It, however, did not give absolute numbers.

In an interview to PTI late Friday, senior BJP leader Thakur said the minorities are clearly thriving and need not worry.

He also rubbished the opposition’s charge that the BJP would change the Constitution. “On the contrary, the BJP will ensure that reservation for SCs, STs and OBCs is not diluted or altered by anyone.” 

The four-time MP from Hamirpur in Himachal Pradesh, who is defending his seat against Congress’ Satpal Raizada, accused the party of seeking to take away the reservation meant for SCs/STs/OBCs and provide it to Muslims.

He also alleged that the Congress is aiming to grab the wealth of people and provide the same to Muslims to further its appeasement and vote bank politics.

The Congress has denied these claims, also made by other BJP leaders, as lies and distortion of their manifesto.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has also said that he will never allow reservation based on religion by taking away quotas meant for SCs, STs and OBCs, Thakur said.

Asked if there was a need for policy change on population control or a legislation on the issue in the wake of changing demography, Thakur said the new government will discuss the issue and then take a call after discussion as population figures have just come out in public domain.

He said the figures show that the population of Muslims in India has increased by almost 45-47 per cent over 65 years.

“What do these figures indicate. On one side the population of Hindus declined by 7.8 per cent and on the other hand the population of Muslims increased by 45-47 per cent. One has to ponder over the reasons behind this.

In Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh, the population of Hindus was 23 per cent in 1947, now they are only 2 per cent left. And still, some people in India say Muslims are insecure. Their population has increased by 45 per cent, still they say they are insecure,” he said.

“How are they insecure? We never said vote for us out of compulsions, we have not indulged in any vote bank politics. We freed Muslim women of the scourge of triple talaq, we have also provided Muslims women with pukka houses, toilets and free (cooking gas) cylinders, besides free medical treatment even if they have eight children. They have also benefited from our schemes,” the minister said.

On the Constitution, he told PTI, “There will be no change of Constitution.” He said the BJP has been in power for the last 10 years while wielding absolute majority in Parliament. Still, it has not made any Constitutional amendment, Thakur said.

“It is the Congress which has amended the Constitution all the time. Besides, the Congress insulted Babasaheb Ambedkar, who gave us this Constitution, and even worked to send him out of politics. The Congress also did not give him honour,” he alleged.

Instead, he said, it was Narendra Modi who made ‘paanch teerth’ at Nagpur, Mhow, Mumbai, Delhi and England in honour of Babasaheb Ambedkar and began marking Constitution Day on November 26, besides declaring a holiday on Ambedkar Jayanti on April 14.

“I want to tell this country and the youth that it was Indira Gandhi who murdered democracy and if anyone has tried to crush the Constitution, it is Arvind Kejriwal,” Thakur said.

“Even the creators of the Constitution would have never thought that a chief minister and deputy chief minister would be in jail for corruption and still are reluctant to resign from their posts,” Thakur added.

Thakur also reeled out government statistics to support his view that the BJP government has consistently worked during the last 10 years for the poor, especially the backward class and castes.

Out of four crore houses made under the PM Awas Yojna by PM Modi, as many as 58 per cent houses were made for SC/STs, he said.

He also cited the Rs 6,000 annual dole given to farmers, of which a majority of the beneficiaries are SC/ST and OBC category people.

Thakur noted that four crore houses, 12 crore toilets, 13 crore water connections and 10 crore free cooking gas cylinders were provided to people, as well as free medical treatment to 60 crore people and free ration to 80 crore people.

“These people (opposition) are spreading fear, misconceptions and rumours that SC/ST reservation will go, but the truth is that wherever the Congress governments came, in Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, and Telangana, they took away SC/ST quota and gave to Muslims and are creating fear among SC/STs,” Thakur said.

The senior BJP MP said Congress leader Rahul Gandhi wants a survey that will lead to wealth redistribution. “This is appeasement politics which the Congress started, not us,” he said.

“We have done ‘Sabka Vikas’ and did not do Hindu-Muslim, and we will carry on doing work like this in future. But when these people say such things for votes that they will give to Muslims, then we raise questions that they try to insult Hindus and talk of crushing Sanatan and talk of giving resources to Muslims,” Thakur said.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Chandigarh:

Former Punjab Chief Minister and Congress leader Charanjit Singh Channi has landed in a huge row with his comment that Saturday’s Terror attack in Poonch, in which an Air Force soldier was killed and four others were injured, was a “pre-election stunt by the BJP”. Amid the general election, it has provided the BJP a handle to attack the Congress, with Union Minister Anurag Thakur ripping into the Grand Old Party.

“These are all stunts and not terrorist attacks. There is no truth in it. BJP is playing with the lives of people and bodies,” Mr Channi said while campaigning in Jalandhar, from where he is contesting.

“These attacks are not really happening but just meant to benefit the Bharatiya Janata Party… Whenever elections take place, such stunts are played like it happened last time,” he added, pointing at the 2019 Pulwama attack in which 40 CRPF (Central Reserve Police Force) personnel died.

In the terror attack on two IAF vehicles in the Bakrabal (Sanai) area of Poonch, Corporal Vikky Pahade of the Indian Air Force was killed and four other soldiers injured.

“This is a poor statement. This reflects their mentality,”said Union minister Anurag Thakur.

“Instead of strengthening the army, they did brokerage for 10 years… After Pulwama we did surgical strike. These people held a hearing at 2:30 pm to stop the hanging of the Parliament attack accused… People will not forget that 1000 km has been taken away – the area of Aksai Chin, a part has been taken by Sri Lanka,” he added.

New Delhi:

Union Minister Anurag Thakur hit out at the Congress Saturday morning – a day after the second phase of voting for the Lok Sabha elections – and claimed that there were “foreign forces” involved in preparing the poll manifesto of the opposition party.

“In the Congress manifesto, along with the hand of the Congress, hands of foreign forces are also visible who want to give your children’s property to Muslims, finish the nations nuclear weapons, divide the nation on casteism and regionalism,” Mr Thakur said at a rally in Himachal Pradesh’s Hamirpur.

“The tukde-tukde gang has surrounded Congress completely and has hijacked their ideology. You have to decide whether the children’s property should remain with them or should it go to Muslims. We gave all rights to Muslims, equally. But we did not give it based on religion, we gave it because it was their right,” he added.

#WATCH | Hamirpur, Himachal Pradesh: Union Minister Anurag Thakur says, “In the Congress manifesto, along with the hand of the Congress, hands of foreign forces are also visible who want to give your children’s property to Muslims, finish the nations nuclear weapons, divide the… pic.twitter.com/3dxJE6avvz

— ANI (@ANI) April 27, 2024

The attack follows fierce sparring between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and top Opposition leaders over claims that the Congress will seize the wealth of Indians and distribute it among Muslims. At rallies in Rajasthan’s Tonk and Madhya Pradesh’s Sagar, the PM alleged that the Manmohan Singh-led Congress government had said Muslims have the first right to the country’s wealth.

The remarks have sparked a massive row, with one section criticising the Prime Minister for using expressions such as “infiltrators” for Muslims, and another section slamming Dr Singh over his alleged remarks.

In a five-minute video message posted on the BJP’s X handle yesterday, BJP party chief JP Nadda also repeated controversial sections from the Prime Minister’s Rajasthan speech – in which he referred to Muslims and said the Congress plans to “redistribute wealth to infiltrators” – and said, “Congress says Muslims have first right on country’s resources, whereas PM Modi says poor people must have the first right…”

“BJP does not want Muslims to be neglected… but they should not take undue advantage at expense of others,” Mr Nadda declared, as he slammed the Congress for “appeasement politics” and claimed such practices were evident in its manifesto – which the PM called a “Muslim League imprint”.

Mr Thakur and Mr Nadda’s remarks come just days after the Election Commission sent a notice to the party based on a complaint by the Congress against the Prime Minister, alleging he made divisive remarks during his Rajasthan speech. The notice – in a significant first – said party bosses would be held accountable for Model Code violations in campaign speeches and materials.

The poll panel sent a nearly identical notice to Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge, after the BJP filed a complaint against Rahul Gandhi, claiming he had made “obnoxious utterances” against Mr Modi.

In a two-page statement – which did not name either the Prime Minister or Mr Gandhi but included copies of the complaints – the poll body said “‘star campaigners’ are expected to contribute to a higher quality of discourse… which sometimes gets distorted in the heat of contests at local level”.

Hyderabad:

Union Minister Anurag Thakur on Wednesday said that Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and AIMIM leader Asaduddin Owaisi both are trained in “Aurangzeb school of thought” with democracy on their lips but “Shariah in their hearts and minds”.

Addressing a press conference here, he slammed Rahul Gandhi for fielding a candidate against Owaisi in the Hyderabad Lok Sabha constituency.

“Is Rahul Gandhi the ‘B’ team of Owaisi or Owaisi the ‘B’ team of Rahul Gandhi? Is Rahul Gandhi a peddler of Owaisi’s communal agenda? This is what appears from the Congress manifesto,” he said.

Union Minister Thakur further said that just like Rahul Gandhi was defeated by a woman in Amethi, Mr Owaisi will be defeated by a woman in Hyderabad.

“Owaisi has been missing in action ever since Madhavi Latha (BJP candidate) entered the fray. The time to cut the kite’s string has come,” said the Union Minister, who earlier participated in the nomination rally of the BJP candidate.

He also claimed that the people of Hyderabad want to defeat Mr Owaisi. “I have seen people’s enthusiasm, support and blessings on Hyderabad roads for our party candidate,” said the Union Minister.

He also alleged that Mr Owaisi won many times on the basis of fake votes. “The genie of fake votes has been capped in a bottle. It’s time for him to pack up,” he said.

Union Minister Thakur accused Rahul Gandhi and his sister Priyanka Gandhi of being silent on the demand of their party councillor in Karnataka for a CBI probe into the murder of his daughter due to ‘Love Jihad’. “How many more daughters will be sacrificed in the name of ‘Love Jihad’,” he asked, reading out names of victims and accused.

“Hundreds of Hindu daughters were killed by infiltrators and people of a particular community. Why do you have sympathy for them,” he asked and accused Congress leaders of doing vote bank politics.

“Did they not shout ‘Pakistan Zindabad’ in the Karnataka Assembly? There were bomb blasts in Bangalore and the accused were sheltered in Bengal under Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. Can our daughters be safe or our borders be safe with appeasement politics?” he said.

The Union Minister alleged that the Congress party is bent on destroying ‘Sanatana Dharma’. “They opposed the construction of Ram Temple, rejected the invitation for its inauguration and called Ram Setu fictional. The EVM beeps will give an answer to such beef-eating people,” he remarked.

Union Minister Thakur claimed that Congress will snatch away property and hard-earned money of citizens for distribution among those who are its vote bank and with whom it does politics of appeasement.

Referring to Sam Pitroda’s statement, he said Congress’ hidden agenda had come out. “It clearly shows, even after your death, they will keep on looting you in the name of inheritance tax. I call it vasooli tax,” he said.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

New Delhi:

Union minister Anurag Thakur joined his voice with Prime Minister Narendra Modi today to attack the Congress over the comments of its senior leader Sam Pitroda, alleging that the party’s secret plan is to tax people even after their deaths.

“I think the djinn has come out of the bottle,” Anurag Thakur said, “They were anti-sanatan already, now they are anti-santan (anti-descendants) also”.

The Congress’s “hidden agenda” is out and exposed, he said. “Even after death they will keep up the extortion. After your death, your assets will not go to your children. Are your children secure in the Congress government?” he said.

The fresh row started over Sam Pitroda’s comment that the inheritance tax in the US was an interesting law and could contain issues that people can debate.  

If one has $100 million when he dies, he can only transfer probably 45 per cent to his children and the rest goes to the government, he said.

“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. In India, you don’t have that,” Mr Pitroda had said.

“If somebody is worth 10 billion and he dies, his children get 10 billion and people get nothing… So, these are the kind of issues people will have to debate and discuss,” he said.

The issue was highlighted by PM Modi, who over the weekend had remarked that the Congress, if voted to power, will redistribute the personal wealth of people to “infiltrators” and won’t even spare the mangalsutras of women.

Amid the massive row the comment caused, PM Modi said at a rally in Sarguja today that once voted back to power, the Congress will also introduce the inheritance tax in India.

“The wealth you accumulate with your hard work won’t pass down to your children. The Congress’s hand will snatch it. The Congress’s mantra is ‘loot during your lifetime, loot after your death’,” the Prime Minister said. “As long as you live, Congress’s high taxation will make you suffer. When you are dead, they will put the burden of inheritance tax,” he added.

Bengaluru:

Union Minister Anurag Thakur said the Centre has set a target to make India ‘Viksit Bharat’ by 2047 and slammed the previous UPA government over corruption and scams.

Addressing IT professionals here on Thursday, he said, “… IT stands for ‘India Tomorrow’ and what is the target for India tomorrow? The target is to develop India into Viksit Bharat by 2047.” Taking a dig at the Congress, the Union Minister said, “Can you imagine 10 years back our countrymen were finding it even difficult to think about freeing themselves from the clutches of corrupt Congress party and its alliance partners where one after another scam took place.”

Referring to the various scams during the UPA regime, he said because we have a short memory, sometimes we forget especially those aged between 18 and 22, they were only eight and 10 years old then.

“They are not aware of 2G scam or CWG scam… They didn’t know about AgustaWestland, Coal scam and all that…” “It is our duty to remind them that between 2009 to 2014, there were so many scams in this country that by 2014 it looked like the growth (of the country) was stagnant, inflation was high and policy paralysis was hitting the country hard and we were looking at an option,” he said.

Thakur said the country was looking at a way out and during that time, the BJP came up with an alternative leader named Narendra Modi.

“Modi was a ray of hope in 2014. We promised that we will give you a clean government and I’m glad that in the last 10 years we can proudly say in our government not even a single penny of corruption allegation is levelled against Modi or his ministers,” he said.

Hailing the Narendra Modi-led government, Thakur said MODI stands for “Master of Digital Information” and also maker of developed India – Viksit Bharat.

Underscoring that Indian talent was the biggest resource that the country has, he said, “We need to reskill them, upskill them. Covid has taught us whatever you may learn in the era of technology, you have to keep reskilling yourself… and that artificial intelligence will play a very very important role, our talent which is the Indian talent in the field of IT (information technology) will play a very very important role in bringing billions of dollars and jobs to India.” Targeting the Congress over I-T department notices to the party, he said, “political parties don’t have to pay income tax they have been waived but they have to file income tax returns. But look at the country’s oldest party… they fail to file their income tax returns.

“If you don’t file your income tax returns, you will get a notice then why should Congress be treated above law. That is what the Income Tax department did, they gave them a notice, but they didn’t reply, look at the arrogance they didn’t reply,” he said.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)