Mysuru: Union finance minister, Nirmala Sitharaman denied on Thursday that the BJP was playing vindictive politics by arresting former finance minister, P Chidambaram in the INX Media case.
“I am saddened by such comments. It is the courts, which are raising queries. Enforcement directorates, the CBI or others have reasons to ask questions. If the Congress calls it vindictive politics, it shocks me. Being a party, which enjoyed power for decades, I hope they will respect law and encourage and cooperate with the authorities seeking information. To give it political colour and call it vindictive is absolutely unnecessary," she told reporters here after a meeting with Income Tax and GST authorities, assessees, industry leaders, trade associations, chartered accountants and tax practitioners of Mysuru.
On allegations by the Congress that the BJP misusing Central agencies like the CBI, Income Tax department and the Enforcement Directorate, she said, “The Congress can make such allegations because that is what they did when they were in power. They don't understand that governments can run without misusing these agencies.”
Denying allegations by the Congress that the GDP and economy had suffered during the last Modi government, she said, “Compare the rate of inflation in 2010 -14, and since 2014 during our tenure. Prices of essencial commodities are well under control. The price of toor dal has come down, and we have sufficient quantity of it.”
Earlier at the meeting, Ms Sitharaman said come Vijayadashmi day and tax authorities would be allowed to seek information through sms or email and avoid face- to- face direct interaction with assessees if need be.
“The use of smses and e-mail will be fully implemented from Vijayadashami day, so that no tax authority has to have one- on- one interaction with any assessee,” she said.
