The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Wednesday lashed out at the Congress for challenging Finance Minister Arun Jaitley to name those who have black money stashed in safe havens abroad, saying the present government is taking positive steps towards retrieving black money.
"Congress should understand that their face has already been blackened by the coal corruption. Now, why are they trying to blacken it further in the black money issue? Who will black mail those whose face has already been blackened by corruption?" asked BJP spokesperson Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi.
Reacting to Congress' accusation that the BJP is doing nothing in the black money matter, Naqvi said: "They did nothing on this matter during their 10 years of rule. Now that the present government is taking positive steps towards retrieving black money, the Congress has problems with it."
"They are now wondering how the BJP is doing something in three months which they couldn't do in 10 years," he added.
Earlier today, the Congress asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government at the Centre not to blackmail them with their assertions that the opposition will "be embarrassed" when the names of Indians who have black or illicit money stashed abroad are revealed in court.
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Daring the government to reveal the names of all the black money account holders, the Congress said that it was ready for a probe against it on the issue.
"We urge the BJP to come out with the full list. Truth lies in full disclosure. Why only 136 names out of 800? Why the half truth? We want the complete truth.... avoid selective leakage of names," said Congress spokesperson Ajay Maken.
Taking a jibe at the Centre, Maken wondered as to why the BJP had not kept its poll promise of "bringing back black money within 100 days" of assuming power.
Last week, the Centre had 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.
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.
