'Action on black money will expose people close to UPA'

BJP today said the UPA government would never take any effective and meaningful action on black money stashed away in tax havens abroad as a "lot of skeletons will come out its own cupboard".

BJP on Thursday said the UPA government would never take any effective and meaningful action on black money stashed away in tax havens abroad as a "lot of skeletons will come out its own cupboard".

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"My charge is Manmohan Singh government will never take any effective action against corruption, on black money, on foreign banks accounts. Why? A lot of skeletons will come out of his own cupboard," BJP General Secretary and Chief Spokesperson Ravi Shankar Prasad told reporters here.

"In spite of so much of disgust and anger in the country, the UPA government will never take any meaningful time bound and effective action against black money, bringing back the money in accounts in foreign banks of Indians which are profits of crime and corruption because the names of people close to it would be exposed," he said.

He referred to the Hasan Ali case in this context and said the names of some Congressmen came out during interrogation.

"They (the UPA government) know that if they strongly prosecute the case of foreign bank accounts, the names of many persons close to Congress will come out," Prasad alleged.

The UN convention against corruption was made effective in 2005, yet it was allegedly ratified by India only last week even though it is an important instrument against global corruption.

Prasad said that India, a G20 member, is now an emerging global power and yet its stature is not being used to pressurise foreign banks to reveal details of money of Indians, which is profit of crime and corruption.

According to him, US, Philippines and Germany are forcing foreign banks to give the names of their citizens who stashed away black money. "Why is the Government of India not doing the same?"

"There is only phony assurances of committee, sub-committee and reports to be furnished in the future. However, no meaningful action," Prasad said.

He reiterated the BJP's demand for immediate removal of Textiles Minister Dayanidhi Maran from the Government.

Alleging that there is a copybook case of quid pro quo in corruption against Maran, Prasad said not only does he need to be prosecuted, but also there is no justification for his continuance in the Government.