Black Money debate: 250 account holders admitted to having foreign accounts

New Delhi, Nov 27: At the Rajya Sabha session on Nov 26, Arun Jaitley was showered with questions on Black Money. The opposition blamed that the present government had no intentions of bringing back black money to the country and is deviating from its election promise. "The country has been misled... a promise was made to bring back black money within 100 days... there was politics to acquire power by tarnishing the ruling government," said former Commerce minister Anand Sharma.

Trinamool Congress' leader Derek O'Brien went to the extent of calling the NDA government a "bluffmaster". He said,"You are all bluffmaster... you have no intention to bring the money back. All false promises."

To this, Jaitley said,"27 accounts, we have been able to identify very well. 250 of them have admitted to having foreign accounts." He further added,"Mr Jaitley said it was not a question of whether to disclose names of those who hold black money accounts, but when to do so. The Opposition demanded during the debate that the BJP reveal the names."

Warning the opposition, Jaitley said,"If we indulge in a populist and adventurist stance, it will help the black money account holders."

The NDA government has been accused of violating its poll pitch of bringing back unaccounted, untaxed black money stashed in foreign countries. The allegations intensified when the government was not ready to reveal the names of the account holders in public. However, the names that have cropped up before the Supreme Court include Goan mining tycoon Radha Timblo, Pradip Burma, and Pankaj Lodhia.

OneIndia News