Modi's foreign trips don't help bring black money back: Azad

The Congress Saturday said Prime Minister Narendra Modi's foreign trips had failed to create an environment that would help bring back black money stashed abroad or fugitives from the law.

Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad said the Modi government had failed to extradite those who allegedly committed scams and fled with public money.

A prime minister does not travel abroad on a fun trip but he represents his country, and creates influence which should benefit his country in times of disputes or need, he told reporters here.

But in the last four and a half years, the PM could not create enough influence to bring back those like Nirav Modi, Mehul Choksi and others, he added.

During the last Lok Sabha elections, Modi had promised to bring back black money, which did not happen, the MP said.

Instead, the tax payer's money was taken away and he could not stop it from happening, he said.

Azad said CBI director Alok Verma was recently sent on leave as the agency was about to begin investigations into the Rafale fighter deal with France, a charge already denied by the government.

He alleged the BJP government was involved in corruption running in thousands of crores, and BJP-ruled states like Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan were also suffering from graft.

He claimed the BJP government had failed in keeping promises. It gave slogans like 'Beti Bachao Beti Padhao', which did not amount to anything and the government just focused on publicity, he charged.

The Pradesh Congress committee also released a Rajasthan report card, alleging that the state's Bharatiya Janata Party government is a failure.

The Rajasthan Assembly elections, likely to be a mostly straight contest between the ruling BJP and the Congress, will be held on December 7.