Name those who have money in foreign banks, says BJP
By IANSTuesday, January 18, 2011
NEW DELHI - The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Tuesday demanded that the government reveal the names of Indians who have stashed money in banks abroad, wondering why it was “doggedly” refusing to do so.
“What is the reason behind the dogged refusal to reveal names of those who have stashed money in foreign banks?” BJP spokesman Ravi Shankar Prasad said here.
Referring to the Central Board of Direct Taxes submitting to the apex court Monday a list of Indians who have accounts in Liechtensteins LGT Bank, Prasad said the government was not revealing the names citing the double taxation avoidance agreement.
He said the government stance was “illogical”.
BJP demands the government to be proactive if its intentions are correct. People expect the government to reveal the names of the account holders,” Prasad said.
“We expect that this should come about quickly and let the nation know who has done what service for the nation or for personal enrichment,” he added.
The BJP demand comes in the wake of names of 2,000 secret account holders in Swiss banks, including individuals and corporates from the UK, Asia and the US, handed over by a former banker to WikiLeaks Monday.
“We are interested in the names from India and the entire country expects that those who have looted public money and invested abroad in Swiss bank accounts, their names should also be exposed,” Prasad said.
Prasad said that Germany has shared information with the government about bank accounts and wondered what action has been taken.
