'Black money should be brought back': Rahul Gandhi

Aurangabad (Maharashtra), Jan 29 (ANI): Congress General Secretary Rahul Gandhi on Saturday demanded strict action against those involved in the black money controversy, and said the nation needs to ensure that people's money remains in India itself.

"We should put in as much effort as possible to ensure that what is India's money, what is people's money, comes back. We are growing at eight to nine percent level where huge amount of money is generated. That money belongs to the people of India," Gandhi told reporters here.

"We need to ensure that the money reaches to every single person. Stashing away back money is close to stealing from the poor and the future of this country," he added.

Talking tough on the black money issue, the Supreme Court had on Thursday asked the Government what action it had taken against individuals and firms having foreign accounts.

The apex court also issued notice to the Central Government, Home Ministry, Central Vigilance Commissioner (CVC), Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT), Enforcement Directorate (ED) and demanded the Government to file an additional affidavit over the issue.

Hearing a plea against black money being stashed away in foreign banks, the apex court expressing dissatisfaction, demanded answers from the Government.

Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee on Tuesday said the government has nothing to hide, and added that India cannot violate secrecy laws to reveal names in the Swiss trail.

"No information can be made available unless there is legal framework and no sovereign country is going to share information on black money. There is a way to get information when Income Tax authorities decide to prosecute offenders," Mukherjee told a press conference in New Delhi.

"We cannot break any international commitments on black money holders because governments will not be ready to part information with us. Swiss government has not shared information on black money with any government so far. The UBS Bank shared data with the US after entering an out of the court settlement under which no prosecution was pursued," he added. (ANI)