SC remarks on black money should be eye-opener for govt: BJP

New Delhi, Jan 19 (PTI) Asking the government todisclose the names of those who have stashed black money inbanks abroad "before anyone else does", the BJP today voicedhope that Supreme Court''s observations on the issue will be an"eye-opener" for the Centre.

"The government should disclose names of people whohave stashed away money in Swiss banks before anyone elsedoes.... What is the reason behind the Manmohan Singhgovernment not coming forward with the names? The compulsionscited by the government in the apex court against disclosingthe names are intriguing," BJP spokesperson Shahnawaz Hussaintold reporters here.

He claimed that with the government "cornered" on theissue of corruption, it was time that the names be disclosed.

"Be it anyone - any representative of the four pillars ofdemocracy, we favour their names being made public," he said,adding that the observations of the apex court "will hopefullywork as an eye opener for the government".

The Supreme Court today expressed displeasure over thegovernment''s reluctance in coming forward with fullinformation on the black money stashed by Indians in foreignbanks, saying keeping national wealth abroad amounted toplunder of the country and was mind-boggling crime.

"It is a pure and simple theft of the national money.

We are talking about mind-boggling crime. We are not on theniceties of various treaties," remarked a bench comprisingjustices B Sudershan Reddy and S S Nijjar, while hearing apetition for retrieving Indian black money stashed in foreignbanks.

The court was unhappy that the government filed anaffidavit restricting information relating to the moneydeposited by 26 persons in Liechtenstein Bank in Germany. PTINAB