Centre trying to save imp leaders having black money: CPI

Hyderabad, Jan 25 (PTI) Alleging that the Centre wastrying to save the skin of important political leaders overthe black money issue, the CPI today demanded that thegovernment put all possible pressure at the internationallevel to get back the money.

"It looks that Union Government withheld names to savethe skin of important personalities of political and businesscircles," CPI Deputy General Secretary S Sudhakar Reddy saidin a statement.

"CPI demands that government should have a re-look intothe whole affair. All the names of illegal depositors shouldbe transparent. The illegal deposits should be confiscatedafter discussing with the concerned countries and collectincome tax on white money. All pressure that is possibleshould be used at international level to achieve the target,"he said.

Expressing disappointment with the comments of UnionFinance Minister Pranab Mukherjee that no country would shareinformation in the absence of a legal framework, he said theUS and Germany could get their depositors'' names.

"India is not the only country facing such problem. USand Germany could get their depositors names and collectedamounts also from the banks. Swiss banks and some othercountries may have their own laws. But they have aninternational obligation to give the details of such people ifour country asks. No country in the world can have laws tokeep the unaccounted money of the people of other countries,"he said.

Alleging that the Centre was moving slowly on the issue,"trying to put technical objections to make the namestransparent", he said the government appeared to be lackingthe political will to bring back the money stashed in foreignbanks.