Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Saturday asserted that the proposed inheritance tax would bear resemblance to the ‘Jizya tax’ levied by Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb on Hindus.

Addressing a poll rally in Ashok Nagar town under the Guna Lok Sabha constituency in support of BJP candidate Jyotiraditya Scindia, Yogi Adityanath said that the Congress manifesto hints at policies reminiscent of the oppressive rule of Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb, which, if enacted, would also promote cow slaughter.

The UP CM said that Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s talks of an X-Ray suggest that the Congress government would seize half of the people’s property through inheritance tax, which is akin to ‘jizya tax’.

He accused the Congress of trying to curtail the reservation for OBCs and SCs to please its favourite vote bank.

Adityanath praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi for ensuring respect for the poor and downtrodden. He also lauded the PM for restoring India’s traditions and legacy through many works, notably the Ram temple.

“Terrorism and Naxalism were at their peak before 2014 but now Pakistan comes with a clarification even if a firecracker bursts in India. This is new India. We don’t make aggression against anyone but we don’t leave the one who makes aggression against us,” Adityanath said.

“We gave respect to Scindias, who had pushed away Afghan attackers in that period of time,” he said while recalling the contributions of Rajmata Vijaya Raje Scindia, the grandmother of Jyotiraditya Scindia, in the Ram temple movement and nation-building.

Meanwhile, countering Adityanath, Congress leader Pawan Khera told media persons in Bhopal on Saturday that the UP CM and PM Modi must clarify to the people why BJP takes donations from beef exporters and why the Modi cabinet has a minister (Kiren Rijiju) who consumes beef.

Referring to Adityanath’s allegations against Congress regarding beef, Khera said that the BJP took Rs 250-crore donation from beef-exporting companies.

He also questioned why Kiren Rijiju, who openly acknowledges consuming beef, continues to hold a position in the Modi cabinet.