Nov 27 2014 : The Times of India (Ahmedabad)
Govt identifies 427 foreign account holders: Jaitley
New Delhi TIMES NEWS NETWORK |
Oppn Accuses NDA of `Selling Lies' On Black Money
The government on Wednesday said the identity of 427 account holders abroad has been established and 250 of them have admitted to having accounts, even as the Opposition in Parliament sought to corner it while questioning the BJP's poll promise to get the illicit money back within 100 days of coming to power.Sharing the figures of account holders and spelling out the steps being taken by the government, finance minister Arun Jaitley referred to the HSBC list of 627 account holders received by the government and said identity of 427 of them has been established.
"Total 250 of them have admitted to having accounts, making the government's task easier," he said while responding to a debate on black money in the Rajya Sabha.
He told the Upper House that the government will "proactively chase" those with black money and will not rest till the last account is identified.
"We have to disclose the names in a very prudent and thoughtful manner," he said, adding it could only be a "one-day thrill".
While maintaining that revealing the names of account holders may be "suicidal", the finance minister warned that premature disclosure will help the account holders as it will prompt countries to refrain from providing information.
"We have to disclose the names in a very prudent and thoughtful manner ... the question is not whether to disclose the name but how and when to disclose them," Jaitley said.
Unconvinced of the assurance, members of the Opposition Congress, Trinamool Congress, JD(U), Samajwadi Party and CPM, however, staged a walkout even before the finance minister could conclude his reply.
During the discussion in both Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha, Congress and TMC alleged that BJP had "sold lies" and misled the nation for which the government should apologise.
Initiating a discussion, deputy leader of Congress Anand Sharma said when the BJP leaders were in the opposition, they had "misled" the country by making tall promises of bringing back the black money stashed away abroad. The government on Wednesday said the identity of 427 account holders abroad has been established even as the Opposition sought to corner it while questioning the BJP's poll promise to get the illicit money back within 100 days of coming to power.
Initiating a discussion, deputy leader of Congress Anand Sharma said when the BJP leaders were in the opposition, they had "misled" the country by making tall promises of bringing back the black money stashed away abroad.
"Prime Minister Narendra Modi, during BJP's poll campaign, had claimed that black money was to the tune of Rs 85 lakh crore. Modi had also said that black money stashed abroad is equal to five Union budgets and that it was enough to put Rs 15 lakh in the account of all Indian citizens," he said while asking the government where was the money which the BJP had promised to bring back in 100 days of coming to power.
Replying to opposition criticism, Jaitley, however, said, "We have done more in 100 days than what other governments had done" and noted that the confidentiality clause prevents disclosure of names of foreign account holders unless prosecution is launched against them in a court of law.
He said more prosecutions are going to be filed in the coming weeks with regard to people figuring in the HSBC list, who are suspected to have illicit accounts there.
"We are on a learning curve... The government is going to be on the right track even if it takes extra time," the finance minister said and suggested that the government was even willing to change laws if required to bring back black money.
"Total 250 of them have admitted to having accounts, making the government's task easier," he said while responding to a debate on black money in the Rajya Sabha.
He told the Upper House that the government will "proactively chase" those with black money and will not rest till the last account is identified.
"We have to disclose the names in a very prudent and thoughtful manner," he said, adding it could only be a "one-day thrill".
While maintaining that revealing the names of account holders may be "suicidal", the finance minister warned that premature disclosure will help the account holders as it will prompt countries to refrain from providing information.
"We have to disclose the names in a very prudent and thoughtful manner ... the question is not whether to disclose the name but how and when to disclose them," Jaitley said.
Unconvinced of the assurance, members of the Opposition Congress, Trinamool Congress, JD(U), Samajwadi Party and CPM, however, staged a walkout even before the finance minister could conclude his reply.
During the discussion in both Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha, Congress and TMC alleged that BJP had "sold lies" and misled the nation for which the government should apologise.
Initiating a discussion, deputy leader of Congress Anand Sharma said when the BJP leaders were in the opposition, they had "misled" the country by making tall promises of bringing back the black money stashed away abroad. The government on Wednesday said the identity of 427 account holders abroad has been established even as the Opposition sought to corner it while questioning the BJP's poll promise to get the illicit money back within 100 days of coming to power.
Initiating a discussion, deputy leader of Congress Anand Sharma said when the BJP leaders were in the opposition, they had "misled" the country by making tall promises of bringing back the black money stashed away abroad.
"Prime Minister Narendra Modi, during BJP's poll campaign, had claimed that black money was to the tune of Rs 85 lakh crore. Modi had also said that black money stashed abroad is equal to five Union budgets and that it was enough to put Rs 15 lakh in the account of all Indian citizens," he said while asking the government where was the money which the BJP had promised to bring back in 100 days of coming to power.
Replying to opposition criticism, Jaitley, however, said, "We have done more in 100 days than what other governments had done" and noted that the confidentiality clause prevents disclosure of names of foreign account holders unless prosecution is launched against them in a court of law.
He said more prosecutions are going to be filed in the coming weeks with regard to people figuring in the HSBC list, who are suspected to have illicit accounts there.
"We are on a learning curve... The government is going to be on the right track even if it takes extra time," the finance minister said and suggested that the government was even willing to change laws if required to bring back black money.
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