Cong dismisses Assange's remarks on black money

New Delhi, Apr 26: Congress today dismissed WikiLeaks chief Julian Assange''s remarks about the Indian black money stashed in Swiss banks, saying it will not join issue with individuals or comment on "hearsay".

"At the last count, there are 130 embassies and high commissions in New Delhi. If by a thumb-rule of 10 you have officers reporting back to their country, it could make 1300 or 13000 reports in a week or a month.

"If you are going to allow this, what can legally be called hearsay, to determine the national discourse, then very serious questions are to be raised about the maturity of that discourse," Congress spokesperson Manish Tewari said.

Tewari was responding to questions on Assange telling a news channel that he had read Indian names in the Swiss bank data and that India should pursue the issue of black money more aggressively.

"Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee has responded to it appropriately and holistically both inside and outside Parliament. After what he has said, we have nothing to add or substract," Tewari said.

He also refused to comment on Assange's remark that the Indian government''s response to the WikiLeaks cables was "one of the worst" in the world, saying "I do not want to join issues with any particular individual."

PTI