TMC claims NDA Govt. has sold itself to capitalists(Update/TMC Protest)

Protesting Trinamool Congress Members of Parliament on Tuesday charged the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led NDA Government with having sold itself to capitalists, as it has failed to repatriate black money stashed away in banks abroad.

"Modi Government promised to bring back black money in 100 days, almost 200 days are over, and they must give an answer. We are protesting against the conspiracy hatched by this government against Bengal. This government has sold itself to the capitalists," TMC Member of Parliament (MP), Sukhendu Sekhar Roy told ANI here.

Slogan shouting TMC MPs were holding black umbrellas inscribed with 'bring back black money' signs.

Veteran TMC leader Saugata Roy demanded unaccounted black money be brought back as promised by the Prime Minister.

Another party leader, Sudip Bandyopadhyay, also criticised the government for failing to retrieve black money after coming to power.

"The government came to power on the basis of taking action against black money and now that it has come to power, it has forgotten everything on its promise," he said.

The Samajwadi Party and the Janata Dal-United (JD-U) also joined the protest as a show of solidarity among opposition parties on the issue of black money and to corner the BJP-led NDA government.

"All nationalistic forces are uniting to get back black money. The Trinamool Congress and the JD (U) have already given a notice for the suspension of the Question Hour and discuss the black money issue. We are with TMC's movement to get back black money," said JD-U leader K C Tyagi.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in his last "Mann ki Baat" address on All India Radio, 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.