Both the Houses of Parliament have taken up discussion on much-talked black money issue. In the Lok Sabha, the opposition asked the government to apologise to the people for its failure to bring it back. Initiating a discussion, Mallikarajun Kharge of the Congress, said, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had promised to bring back black money in hundred days but nothing has happened even after 180 days.
Mr Kharge said, the government should admit that it is not able to bring the illegal money back. He said, his government used to take same plea in the Supreme Court which the BJP is now taking that it is not in a position to disclose the name of black money account holders because of international treaties and Double Taxation Avoidance Agreements. Mr Kharge accused Mr Modi of raising the issue to emotional level during elections campaigns and creating confusion in the minds of 125 crore people.
In the Rajya Sabha, Anand Sharma of the Congress said that the NDA government is neither sincere nor serious to bring the money back. He asked the government to properly address the issue. Vijay Goel of the BJP held Congress responsible for accumulation of black money through various scams like 2G spectrum, coal blocks allocation and Commonwealth Games.
He quipped that Congress is raising the issue as it has no other point to make as prices of petroleum products are down, share market has gone up and housing has become more affordable. Accusing the Congress of not doing anything during its regime, Mr Goel said the BJP has taken several steps to bring back black money starting from setting up of a Special Investigation Team to signing more international treaties.
Earlier, the issue of black money rocked the Lok Sabha today. Opposition members from Congress, Trinamool Congress, Samajwadi Party, Rashtriya Janta Dal and Aam Aadmi Party staged walk out after question hour demanding immediate discussion on black money issue. As soon as the House met for the day, Speaker Sumitra Mahajan rejected the adjournment motion and suspension of question hour moved by several Opposition members including Mallikarjun Kharge of Congress.
Meanwhile, talking to reporters outside Parliament, the government today accused opposition parties of unnecessarily disrupting proceedings in Parliament only to attract media attention.
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Venkaih Naidu said, despite government’s assurance that it is ready to take up discussion on black money issue, the Congress is creating uproar in both the Houses without any reason. Mr Naidu said, the Congress should first answer that why it had not taken any step to bring back illegal wealth stashed abroad.
On Congress’ demand for the post of Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, the Minister said, even after a ruling by Speaker Sumitra Mahajan, the Congress has again raised the issue for the post, which is not appropriate.
