PM fighting imaginary ghosts, should debate 'real' issues in Cong manifesto: Chidambaram

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.