Opposition parties on Wednesday slammed the Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the ruling BJP for having “failed” to keep up to its election promise of bringing back the black money stashed abroad within hundred days of assuming power.
They demanded an apology from the ruling dispensation for “misleading” the country on the issue of black money by making tall pre-poll claims.
It is now six months since the new Modi-led Government assumed charge at the Centre and not a single rupee had been brought back, the main opposition Congress said in Lok Sabha today.
“He (Narendra Modi) owes an apology to Parliament..that he failed to do it (bring back the black money) and realise his deficiency…”, said Senior Congress leader Veerappa Moily in the Lower House.
Congress leaders came down on the ruling dispensation for having used the issue of “black money” as a political tool to acquire power.
“You (BJP Government) can’t get the money. Like Napolean, Modi will meet his waterloo”, Moily said while asking the BJP Government what it plans to do on the black money front.
Earlier in the day, Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge said they (BJP) made a mountain of a molehill and the Government must stop the big talk.
“The NDA questions our integrity. What about theirs and why are they not revealing the names (of Indians who have stashed money abroad)”, Kharge asked.
Some of the non-congress members of parliament slammed the erstwhile UPA Government for doing little in bringing back the black money stashed abroad.
They even alleged that the UPA regime had thrice objected to the setting up of special investigation team (SIT) to probe the black money. “Why was the Congress scuttling setting up of SIT or any probe by a SIT”, some members wondered.
There was also an allegation by some members that both Congress and BJP were the two sides of same “neo-liberal” coin and were always going to take shelter under the confidentiality clause in double taxation avoidance agreements.
The result being that the identity of the names of Indians who had stashed money abroad will never be revealed, it was alleged.
The discussion in Lok Sabha on the matter of black money will continue on Thursday.