Black money: TMC storms well holding umbrellas, JD(U), Congress join in
TMC MP's show black umbrellas to the government
By : DC Correspondent
Update: 2014-11-25 11:45 GMT
New Delhi: Stepping up attack on the government on the black money issue, Trinamool Congress MPs on Tuesday blocked the main entrance of Parliament and threatened to derail House proceedings over the matter.
The MPs, who had boycotted an all-party meeting called by Parliamentary Affairs Minister Venkaiah Naidu, shouted anti-government slogans.
Majority of TMC MPs including Dinesh Trivedi and Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar were at the gate shouting "Modi tanashai nahin chalegi" (Dicatorship will not be tolerated), "kala dhan wapas lao" (bring back black money) among others.
They said they will raise the black money issue on the floor of Parliament and seek the support of like-minded parties on this issue.
"BJP had promised that it would bring back black money after coming to power. It made a false promise," they said.
The JD(U) warned that the the Winter Session of Parliament "will witness a lot of hungama (chaos)".
"Black money was one of the key poll planks in the Lok Sabha elections on which the BJP won, but the government has done nothing on this count since it came to power. We want a threadbare discussion on this," said JD(U) leader K C Tyagi, who gave the notice for discussion to Rajya Sabha on his party's behalf.
The Congress Party has repeatedly challenged the government on the issue.
In his last "Mann ki Baat" address on All India Radio, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had vowed to bring back "every penny of the poor man's money" stashed abroad, and said it was "an article of faith" for him.
But the government claims to have run up against a maze of clauses in international agreements that make it tough to "retrieve black money".
The Prime Minister's Office has now asked the revenue department to look for ways other than bilateral tax treaties to bring back funds stashed abroad.
The Narendra Modi-led NDA Government is aiming to introduce and take up 37 bills during the Winter Session of Parliament, but is likely to face stiff opposition over the Insurance Bill.
According to the bill, the foreign direct investment in insurance sector would be hiked from 26 per cent to 49 per cent. The Congress said it will not assure the government of its support and the Centre may give more time to select committee on insurance.
The opposition has also red flagged proposed changes to the MNREGA and Goods and Services Tax Bill.