Paradise Papers: Cong Flays Modi for ‘Zero Action’ on Black Money

Congress has accused the Prime Minister of “betraying” the people with “zero action” against black money.

Randeep Surjewala has lashed out at the PM

(Photo: PTI/Altered by The Quint)

The Congress accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of "betraying" people with "zero action" against black money stashed abroad and demanded the resignation of Union minister Jayant Sinha and BJP MP RK Sinha after their names figured in the Paradise Papers.

Congress' communications in-charge Randeep Surjewala asked the prime minister whether he would take action against Sinha and make public the names of all those people who hold black money accounts abroad.

Will the prime minister show the courage of convictions to hand over this entire information to the bench of the Supreme Court looking at action against Black Money holders? Will the ‘Compromised Bureau of Investigation’ (CBI) and ‘Enmity Directorate’ (ED) take action by booking them and conducting raids on them?

Randeep Surjewala, Communications In-charge, Congress

Surjewala said Sinha, after his name appeared in the 'Paradise Papers' on financial holdings abroad, has no right to be in the government, and should immediately resign.

He also said the Congress has already demanded that all four union ministers who are directors of 'India Foundation' run by National Security Advisor Ajit Doval's son should resign over "conflict of interest".

PM Modi has betrayed the people of India with zero action against black money stashed by Indians abroad and corruption. No FIR has been registered in the ‘Panama Papers’ exposé and now 714 Indian links to the Paradise Papers have revealed new tax havens.

Randeep Surjewala

The Congress leader said the Modi government should order an investigation into the Paradise Papers, and that no guilty party should be spared.

He said Prime Minister Narendra Modi's "so-called fight" against black money and corruption remains a "complete flop", as he had promised to bring back Rs 80 lakh crore during his first 100 days in office, and deposit Rs 15 lakh in the bank accounts of Indians.

Forty-one months thereafter, Narendra Modi has backstabbed the people. Modi government has not taken any action against black money-holders abroad. Did Prime Minister Modi unleash the demon of demonetisation on the people of India as a diversionary tactic to save these people?

Randeep Surjewala

Also Read: Paradise Papers: Amitabh, Jayant Sinha, Mallya Among Those Named

The Congress leader asked when the government would initiate action against BJP leaders named in the Panama Papers.

These include Abhishek Singh, the son of Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh, Shishir Bajoria from West Bengal (Chairman of IIM, Shillong), and Anurag Kejriwal – both having links to the BJP and named in the Panama Papers, he alleged.

He also alleged that a US company, D.Light Design, which has a subsidiary of the same name in the offshore tax haven of the Cayman Islands and raised a loan of USD 3 Million, has Sinha as a signatory and a director.

Jayant Sinha concealed this information of being a director of ‘D.Light Design’ in his declaration to the Election Commission, as also to the Lok Sabha Secretariat, and the PMO.

Randeep Surjewala

Sinha, however, has rejected the allegations.

Sinha, a former venture capitalist, also said all these transactions have been fully disclosed to the relevant authorities through the necessary filings required.

Surjewala said another exposé has already revealed that Jayant Sinha is a director of India Foundation as MoS Civil Aviation, with major civil aviation companies including Boeing sponsoring various events of the foundation.

"Does it not compromise the position of Jayant Sinha as MoS? Does it not tantamount to conflict of interest? Is the non-disclosure of all information in affidavit before Election Commission not an electoral offence?" he asked.

Also Read: Transactions Not Personal: MoS Jayant Sinha on Paradise Papers

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