Congress wants BJP to declare all recent land deals

We demand the BJP declare all the land assets it has purchased over the past six months not only in Bihar, Rajasthan and Odisha, but whole of india, Congress asked.

Kolkata, Dec 2: The Congress on Friday demanded that the BJP declare all land assets it has purchased over the six months prior to the demonetisation announcement.

"We demand the BJP declare all the land assets it has purchased over the past six months not only in Bihar, Rajasthan and Odisha, but whole of india.

"Let the nation know how much of cash was used by the BJP to acquire land in the name of getting premises for its office buildings," Congress leader Sachin Pilot told the media here.

Pilot said ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi announcing the demonetisation of Rs 1,000 and Rs 500 denomination currency notes, large sums of money were deposited in cash in the accounts of the BJP's West Bengal unit.

"The account numbers and all details are there. But till today, no proper clarification has come from their (BJP) side."

Similarly, he said, in Bihar and Rajasthan, at many places land was purchased, using large quantities of cash "to convert black money into white".

Pilot alleged there are many photographs and newspaper clippings showing BJP office bearers holding lots of cash in new Rs 2,000 notes, much before they were available to the common people.

"So, there is a big question mark as to who all knew about the declaration of the demonetisation policy."

Piot reiterated the demand for a Joint Parliamentary Committee to probe the demonetisation issue. "Let the JPC find out exactly what happened before November 8," he said

Pilot alleged that the "arbitrary" action of the Prime Minister in relation to demonetisation has created havoc in the rural economy.

"In markets in rural areas, the demand, the consumption, the spending --- all have been shrinking. As a result, there is less demand and less production, which will lead to more lay-offs, and people will not get jobs."

Pilot dismissed as "unrealistic" the Narendra Modi government's talk of converting India "overnight" into a digital economy. He also ridiculed the Prime Minister for coming out with a new income disclosure scheme.

"The Income Tax law provides for a penalty of up to 90 per cent for declaring illegal income. But why has the Prime Minister reduced it to 50 per cent in the new scheme? Is it to help a few people?" he wondered.

IANS