Panama papers: CPI accuses govt of not taking action against black money holders, demands white paper

New Delhi: The Communist Party of India (CPI) has demanded a white paper on action taken against Indians whose names had come up in the Panama Papers, accusing the government of not moving against those with black money. CPI general secretary S Sudhakar Reddy reminded prime minister Narendra Modi in a letter that Modi had in his campaign during the 2014 Lok Sabha polls promised to bring black money back once elected. [caption id=“attachment_3796593” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] File image of CPI general secretary Sudhakar Reddy. Getty images[/caption] “We understand that the government has the list of 500 people who have been named in the Panama Papers for offshore investment or depositing their black money abroad. We request you to publish a white paper on the action taken by the government in this regard,” Reddy said. The left leader said three and a half years had passed since the poll campaign but “no tangible action had been taken against black money holders that include your own ranks, supporters and corporate patrons”. He added that Modi had said there was such a huge amount of black money that even after depositing Rs 15 lakh in each Indian’s bank account, there would be enough left for the development of the country for decades. Pointing out that in other countries some leaders had been removed from power after their names came up in the papers, Reddy said, “But in our country, the 500 hoarders of black money in foreign banks have been neither made public, nor any action taken against them”. In this context, he referred to the ouster of Iceland’s premier and of Pakistan prime minister Nawaz Sharif, who was forced by its Supreme Court to step down. The Panama Papers are leaked documents from a Panama law firm. About 140 political figures from 50 countries with links to offshore accounts were named in the papers, leaked last year.