PM Modi doesn't understand responsibility of society, family: Congress

'Modi will now decide how much jewellery a married and non-woman can have. What about transgenders?'

The Congress Party on Monday questioned Prime Minister Narendra Modi's mindset post the government's decision that married women are entitled to more gold than unmarried women and said that he should rather focus on visiting the Parliament debating issues of national interest.

Congress leader Renuka Chowdhury in a sarcastic tone said the Prime Minister will now decide how much jewellery a married woman can have and how much jewellery a non-married woman can have.

"Who is he to decide? Now, he is saying men should keep this much jewellery. Then how much will you give to transgenders? How can you discriminate between two women that you will get this much jewellery? Then please ask the husband to buy the jewellery. He thinks women's right increases once they are married and men cannot wear jewelleries," Chowdhury told ANI.

"In which era is he stuck? He would have understood the responsibility of a society and family had he kept his wife with himself. He does not know about that. He is too busy to come to Parliament. He is busy deciding how much gold married woman or unmarried woman is allowed to have," she added.

The government has, however, issued a clarification on whether new tax proposals for undeclared wealth will apply to gold and other jewellery.

The Finance Ministry in a statement said jewellery that is inherited or that bought with declared wealth will not be taxed.

"Legitimate holding of jewellery up to any extent is fully protected," it clarified.

"There is no limit on holding of gold jewellery or ornaments by anybody provided it is acquired from explained sources of income, including inheritance," the statement added.

The rules follow the November 8 decision to demonetise high-value currency notes to check tax evasion.