BJP MP/MLAs to submit a/c details post Nov 8

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday asked BJP MPs and MLAs to submit their bank account statements of transaction between November 8, the day he announced demonetisation, and December 31 to party chief Amit Shah on January 1, 2017.

Modi’s direction at the BJP Parliamentary Party meeting came following allegations by opposition parties that the BJP had tipped off some of its own leaders ahead of the demonetisation announcement.

In an apparent response to the charge that the bill to amend IT Act will help turn black money into white, the Prime Minister said the amended Act will channel the money looted from the poor for their welfare.

The amended Act, he said, is a programme for the poor’s welfare from Lok Kalyan Marg, the new name of the road where the Prime Minister’s residence is located.

“The amendment is not for turning black money into white but to spend the money looted from the poor on their welfare,” he said.

Quoting Modi, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ananth Kumar told reporters that the bill is part of his government’s fight against blackmoney.

A part of the tax collected on the money deposited under this scheme will be spent on electricity, roads, toilets and education among other welfare measures, he said.

The Congress and Aam Admi Party on Tuesday demanded that Prime Minister Narendra Modi provide details of bank transactions of BJP and its MPs made before November 8 when the demonetisation move was announced if he was “really serious” on the issue.

“First tell us, payments to Shakhayee (RSS units) made through which cheques? Tell us how much money was deposited by MPs and the party before November 8? Tell us what happened in West Bengal and Bihar? If he tell us these, then I would feel that the prime minister is really serious on the issue,” the Congress spokesperson said.

The AAP termed as “farce” Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s direction to BJP lawmakers to submit details of bank transactions made between November 8 and December 31 to Amit Shah, even as Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal he gave him a “proposal” to probe bank details of MP/MLAs of all parties by an independent committee.