Modi govt targeting small traders for black money: Congress

Panaji: Senior Congress leader Digvijaya Singh on Saturday accused the Narendra Modi government of targeting small traders and businessmen under the pretext of unearthing black money.

"You have given amnesty scheme (for declaring domestic black money). People are coming out...Identify people, who have hundreds of crores of black money. You are targeting small traders, businessmen that should be stopped. We should stand up for these people," Singh said while addressing party workers' convention here today.

"Today, in India most business people are very unhappy with Narendra Modi. He promised concessions to the business people, but economy is not growing. Raids are being conducted and they are targeting Congress people," he alleged.

They have declared September 30 to be the last date on which the black money has to be declared. They have issued 900 thousand notices all over the country for people to declare money, Singh said.

"Lot of people have spoken to me, asking what to do. When P Chidambaram was the Finance Minister, under amnesty scheme Rs 30,000 crore came into the coffers. Now, Modi and BJP people had said that there is Rs 40 lakh crore black money parked outside the country and if that comes in every Indian will have Rs 15 lakh in his account. That money has not come back," he added.