Black money case: Khurshid asks Govt. to either step back from treaty or apologise to nation

Taking a jibe at the Centre's stand on black money case, Congress leader and former external affairs minister Salman Khurshid on Friday asked the ruling government to either step back from the treaty or apologise to the nation for accusing the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) regime.

"After criticizing us so much, the new government today is repeating the same thing which we were saying earlier that there is a treaty that's why we cannot disclose the names. But the current government didn't respect when we were in power. So, why are they doing it now? We want to clarify our stand today that either the government should step back from the treaty and fulfill the promise they made from the country or else they should apologise in front of the nation for how they accused us and what kind of language they used for us when we were doing what was in favour of India at that time," said Khurshid.

He added that the current government has betrayed the people of India not only on the black money issue but on many other fronts.

"There are many such treaties which were signed during the UPA regime. But at that time it was said that we were trying to save someone that's why we did so, whereas the reality was always something else. Whenever any such treaty is signed both the countries are benefited and everything is done with a lot of understanding and discussions," Khurshid said.

"In a treaty you have to take something and also give something, so we were bound by it and we could have done something under that limit only," he added.

Earlier today, the Centre told the Supreme Court that it cannot disclose the names of all those having black money stashed abroad as it violates the double taxation avoidance agreement. Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi said that if confidentiality is not maintained, then the execution of treaties will become impossible.

Senior counsel Ram Jethmalani has accused the Centre of trying to protect people with black money.

Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, however, today said that the account holders' names can only be made public in due course of law.

Switzerland had earlier this month said that it will examine Indian requests for banking information on a priority basis and provide requested details in a time-bound manner.

India had also constituted a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe cases of alleged black money of Indians, including funds stashed abroad in places like Switzerland.

A Special Investigation Team, chaired by former Supreme Court judge Justice M B Shah, is looking into the menace of black money.