Shiv Sena questions Modi over his black money promise

Firing a fresh salvo at Prime Minister Narendra Modi over his electoral promise to bring back black money stashed aboard, Shiv Sena on Tuesday questioned how many citizens have received Rs 15 lakh in their bank accounts.

"Bringing back black money was the first promise Modi had made prior to elections. Recently, in his monthly radio programme 'Mann Ki Baat', he warned those who had stashed money abroad to come clean or face the heat. This warning itself means that the snake is still in the burrow and refuses to come out," Sena said in an editorial in its mouthpiece 'Saamana'.

Modi, during the 2014 Lok Sabha election campaign, had prominently highlighted the issue of black money and had promised to bring it back. He had said that every citizen will receive Rs 15 lakh in their bank accounts.

"Before (Lok Sabha) polls, Modi had said black money worth around Rs 2 lakh crore is stashed in foreign banks and had promised Rs 15 lakh in the bank account of each citizen. Two years in power, how much of it has been brought back?" the BJP ally in the state asked.

It also took potshots at the BJP which recently organised 'Mann Ki Baat' programme at 10 spots in the city, facilitating citizens to listen to the PM's radio show.

"'Mann Ki Baat' is like hot tea and in a bid to attract listeners, several areas in Mumbai had catered free tea. The country is undergoing a change. We do not want free tea, we want the promised Rs 15 lakh deposited in our bank accounts," Sena said.

It claimed that the election system stands on black money and that not just businessmen, film stars or terrorist organisations deal with black money but politicians form a part of the process as well.

"That explains why every party wants businessmen to work with them. One does not need to scout Switzerland or Mauritius to reclaim black money...Modi can succeed in his mission if he unearths black money that is circulating within the country," Sena said.