Adityanath Criticises Congress Over Inheritance Tax, Warns Against 'Second Aurangzeb'

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Monday said the spirit of Mughal emperor Aurangzeb has entered the Congress as he attacked the party over the issue of inheritance tax and urged people not to let a "second Aurangzeb" take birth.

Holding his first political rally in Chandigarh in favour of BJP nominee Sanjay Tandon, Adityanath hit out at the Congress-AAP alliance, alleging they came together not for the welfare of the people but to "loot" them.

Photo Credit: PTI

He attacked the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government in Punjab over the law and order issue, saying, "You see mafia and criminals in Punjab. In UP, we've hung the mafia upside down. Therefore, I am saying, they (Congress-AAP) will mislead you, speak lies and create several kinds of rumours."

"The Congress and the AAP entered into an alliance... they did so because they first divided the country, then society and now they have eyes on your property," he added.

Without naming anyone, Adityanath said a Congress leader has said that when the party comes into power, it will carry out a survey of the people's property and levy an inheritance tax. They will distribute half of it and give it to Muslims, Adityanath said, adding that the inheritance tax was like the 'jizya' tax imposed by Aurangzeb on Hindus.

"The soul of Aurangzeb has crept into the Congress. We do not have to let a second Aurangzeb take birth in the country," he told the gathering as he asked people to vote for the BJP and make Narendra Modi the prime minister for a third time.

A row had earlier erupted over Congress leader Sam Pitroda's remarks who had spoken about inheritance tax in the US while delving into the issue of redistribution of wealth. Pitroda later resigned as the chairman of the Indian Overseas Congress after his controversial remarks.

The chief minister took a dig at the Congress over the Citizenship (Amendment) Act and said after citizenship certificates were issued to some people, the grand old party leaders started getting a stomach ache.

"The CAA has been implemented. Sikhs, Jains, and Buddhists were persecuted in Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan. As and when the process of giving citizenships started, the leaders started getting stomach ache," he said.

The soul of Duryodhan -- the evil protagonist of Mahabharat -- has entered the Congress and they are not able to accept this, he said, adding "That is why they used to say that Muslims have the first right over the country's resources."

On May 15, the first set of citizenship certificates under the Citizenship (Amendment) Act was issued to 14 people, nearly two months after rules under the contentious law were notified to grant Indian nationality to persecuted non-Muslim migrants from three neighbouring countries.