Govt won't reveal black money a/c holders' names

Replying to a debate on an adjournment motion on black money stashed away abroad, in the Lok Sabha, Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee, however, agreed to bring out a While Paper on the issue.

Mukherjee said some countries may refrain from sharing further information if the names were made public as it would amount to violating the information sharing agreement with them. “We will dry up our source of information,” Mukherjee said, adding some of the account holders could even withdraw money if t he names were publicised.

But the BJP, quick to pounce on the government, expressed dissatisfaction over Mukherjee’s reply. “I could not get answers in your reply. I would like the government to come out with its estimates (of black money stashed away in foreign banks) in the White Paper,” senior BJP leader L K Advani said.

Earlier, moving the motion, Advani demanded a White Paper on the magnitude of the black money menace and the me­asures taken by the government to tackle it. The motion was later defeated by a voice vote. “I have to ascertain, some of them may be genuine account holders, who have got permission from the RBI. They may be investors, we will get publicity but it will harm their businesses, it will have an impact on industry,” he said.

Mukherjee said that the government has received 36,000 pieces of information on monies stashed in accounts in foreign countries, but made it clear that no Member of Parliament figured in the list of names obtained from abroad. He clarified that no Member of Parliament so far figured in the list of the foreign bank account holders available with it.

“A circulation was made that names of MPs are there (in the list of foreign bank account holders). No MPs name did I find on the list which I have got,” Mukherjee said.

Although he agreed to issuing a White Paper, Mukherjee slammed the Opposition for bringing an adjournment moti­on on such an issue, which was there since 1948 and did not demand such urgent attention.