Subramanian Swamy targets Jaitley on black money, inflation

Says the way adopted by Finance Minister will not bring back black money

BJP leader Subramanian Swamy today targeted Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on black money and inflation, saying the mechanism adopted for repatriating the illegal wealth stashed abroad will not serve the intended purpose.

"I have suggested in a letter to the government (about) six steps to bring back the black money stashed abroad. But the way adopted by Finance Minister will not bring back black money," he said in reply to a question on whether he was satisfied with efforts made by the NDA government on the issue.

Retrieving the black money was a prominent poll plank by the BJP during its campaigning for the 2014 Lok Sabha elections.

When asked about inflation, Swamy said if given charge he will bring it down within six months. "However, there is a finance minster," he said cryptically.

On the Centre's additional affidavit in Supreme Court wherein it sought to backtrack some views it had conveyed in a case involving him, Swamy said the issue was over now.

"I had written a book ten years ago (and) it has not caused riots in the country. So after 10 years there was no point in filing of the first affidavit," he said.

In its first affidavit, the Home Ministry had told the apex court that Swamy violated IPC provisions with his writing, and defended section 153A of IPC.

However, in the subsequent affidavit filed yesterday, the ministry contended that the earlier affidavit is "in no way the conception" of the ministry regarding Swamy's book, and that the book is the subject matter of legal challenge before trial courts.

Responding to a query on the threat posed by IS to the country, Swamy said the terrorist organisation has many sympathisers who can trigger bomb blasts here.

"There is no immediate threat. At present, there are many sympathisers of IS in India and they can carry out bomb blasts here.

"However, if it (IS) expands and engulfs Pakistan then it will be on our borders. So we should join forces with the US-led coalition and fight against them in Syria," he said.