Congress leader Jairam Ramesh on Sunday took a swipe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi ahead of his oath taking ceremony. He asked if the new finance minister will support the global effort for a "billionaire tax” and will the prime minister stand with the common people or billionaires.
Taking a jibe at the BJP-led government, Ramesh asked if it has taken "too many tempos of black money" to take such a progressive step.
In a post on X, Congress leader said, "This year, the one-third Pradhan Mantri has a chance to show whether it stands with the common people, or with billionaires. At the G20 in Brazil, a proposal to set a Global Minimum Tax on billionaires will be discussed, backed by finance ministers of Brazil, France, Spain, South Africa, and Germany.”
"Will India's next finance minister support the global effort for a 'billionaire tax'? Or have they taken too many tempos of black money to take any such progressive step?" Jairam Ramesh asked.
Congress leader alleged that billionaire, all around the world, manage to pay lower taxes than working people by exploiting legal loopholes, offshore wealth, shell companies, or other schemes.
G20 under Brazil's presidency to discuss 'billionaire tax'
In this regard, a proposal for a Global Minimum Tax on billionaires is poised to be discussed at the G20 under Brazil's presidency in November 2024, he claimed.
He noted that if implemented, such a tax would raise 21 lakh crores per year globally, providing crucial funding for sectors such as health care, housing, education and climate change.
"Note also that Brazil has taken over the rotational G20 presidency without any drama, and used it not for some philosophical mumbo-jumbo but to advance meaningful policy," Ramesh said.
On the contrary 'Photo-Jeevi' Narendra Modi spent the entire presidency plastering every hoarding, school, and petrol pump in India with his face, to portray the G20 presidency as some kind of foreign-policy achievement. India's turn was pre-destined and inevitable," said Jairam Ramesh.
(With PTI Inputs)
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