Tag: Swiss banks

  • Will repatriate illegal money from Swiss banks, says Kejriwal, promises free and ‘unlimited’ healthcare

    By PTI

    AHMEDABAD: Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Saturday alleged those involved in corruption under the BJP government in Gujarat have parked their money in “Swiss banks” and the AAP will bring it back if it is voted to power in the state.

    He also promised the construction of 20,000 mohalla clinics on the lines of Delhi across Gujarat, government-run schools in each village of the state, and also assured “free and unlimited” healthcare for all.

    On the first day of his two-day visit to the state, where Assembly elections are due in December this year, Kejriwal claimed a “secret IB report” of the BJP government has suggested that Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) will win the elections with a huge majority.

    Campaigning for AAP with Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Mann, Kejriwal addressed two rallies at Gandhidham town in Kutch district and in Junagadh.

    Addressing a rally in Gandhidham, the AAP national convener said the new government will ensure that Narmada water reaches every corner of the Kutch district.

    Kejriwal promised to provide free and unlimited healthcare, including medicines, tests, and surgeries, to all residents of Gujarat, irrespective of their financial status.

    “We will build 20,000 mohalla clinics across Gujarat. Be it rich or poor, the people of Gujarat will be given free treatment. Everything will be free, be it medicines, tests or operation, even if it costs Rs 20 lakh,” said Kejriwal in Junagadh.

    On the lines of Delhi, private schools in Gujarat will be audited if AAP comes to power and excess money collected by schools will be returned to the people, he said.

    Attacking the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government in Gujarat, Kejriwal alleged those involved in corruption under BJP have parked their illegal money in banks in Swiss banks.

    “When people demand something, they (BJP government and leaders) say there is no money. Where does the money go when they collect crores and crores through various taxes? It goes into Swiss banks. Each one of them owns more than 10 bungalows. These netas have amassed enormous wealth,” said the AAP leader.

    “If AAP forms a government, it will not let any minister or MLA indulge in corruption. We will bring back all the (black) money parked in Swiss banks,” said Kejriwal, adding that AAP will make electricity free by saving money through plugging corruption.

    Kejriwal also claimed that a “secret IB report” of the BJP government has suggested that AAP will win the elections with a huge majority.

    In Gandhidham, Kejriwal claimed students of government-run schools belonging to poor families in Delhi are securing admissions in medical and engineering courses.

    “They will lift their families out of poverty after getting well-paying jobs. But in Gujarat, I have learnt the ruling BJP is shutting down government schools in Kutch,” he said.

    “I promise that AAP will build government schools in every village of Gujarat after coming to power. We will also bring Narmada water to every corner of the Kutch region. Just give one chance to AAP for the sake of your children’s future,” the AAP leader said.

    If voted to power, AAP will build a government-run hospital in each of the 33 districts in Gujarat to provide free and quality treatment to people.

    Kejriwal said the chief minister of Gujarat and his ministers were getting 5,000 units and 4,000 units, respectively, of electricity free per month but the state government here was abusing him for promising 300 units free to common citizens.

    Mann said 74 lakh families in Punjab have electricity meters in their homes, and 51 lakh of these have received electricity bills with no amount to pay, popularly called ‘zero electricity bills’.

    “The Delhi government saved Rs 150 crore on the construction of a bridge and spent that money on distributing free medicines to the needy people. Is that revdi? If that is the case, then I want to ask Prime Minister Narendra Modi who sold the papad (freebie promise) of depositing Rs 15 lakh in the bank accounts of citizens,” Mann added.

    AHMEDABAD: Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Saturday alleged those involved in corruption under the BJP government in Gujarat have parked their money in “Swiss banks” and the AAP will bring it back if it is voted to power in the state.

    He also promised the construction of 20,000 mohalla clinics on the lines of Delhi across Gujarat, government-run schools in each village of the state, and also assured “free and unlimited” healthcare for all.

    On the first day of his two-day visit to the state, where Assembly elections are due in December this year, Kejriwal claimed a “secret IB report” of the BJP government has suggested that Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) will win the elections with a huge majority.

    Campaigning for AAP with Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Mann, Kejriwal addressed two rallies at Gandhidham town in Kutch district and in Junagadh.

    Addressing a rally in Gandhidham, the AAP national convener said the new government will ensure that Narmada water reaches every corner of the Kutch district.

    Kejriwal promised to provide free and unlimited healthcare, including medicines, tests, and surgeries, to all residents of Gujarat, irrespective of their financial status.

    “We will build 20,000 mohalla clinics across Gujarat. Be it rich or poor, the people of Gujarat will be given free treatment. Everything will be free, be it medicines, tests or operation, even if it costs Rs 20 lakh,” said Kejriwal in Junagadh.

    On the lines of Delhi, private schools in Gujarat will be audited if AAP comes to power and excess money collected by schools will be returned to the people, he said.

    Attacking the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government in Gujarat, Kejriwal alleged those involved in corruption under BJP have parked their illegal money in banks in Swiss banks.

    “When people demand something, they (BJP government and leaders) say there is no money. Where does the money go when they collect crores and crores through various taxes? It goes into Swiss banks. Each one of them owns more than 10 bungalows. These netas have amassed enormous wealth,” said the AAP leader.

    “If AAP forms a government, it will not let any minister or MLA indulge in corruption. We will bring back all the (black) money parked in Swiss banks,” said Kejriwal, adding that AAP will make electricity free by saving money through plugging corruption.

    Kejriwal also claimed that a “secret IB report” of the BJP government has suggested that AAP will win the elections with a huge majority.

    In Gandhidham, Kejriwal claimed students of government-run schools belonging to poor families in Delhi are securing admissions in medical and engineering courses.

    “They will lift their families out of poverty after getting well-paying jobs. But in Gujarat, I have learnt the ruling BJP is shutting down government schools in Kutch,” he said.

    “I promise that AAP will build government schools in every village of Gujarat after coming to power. We will also bring Narmada water to every corner of the Kutch region. Just give one chance to AAP for the sake of your children’s future,” the AAP leader said.

    If voted to power, AAP will build a government-run hospital in each of the 33 districts in Gujarat to provide free and quality treatment to people.

    Kejriwal said the chief minister of Gujarat and his ministers were getting 5,000 units and 4,000 units, respectively, of electricity free per month but the state government here was abusing him for promising 300 units free to common citizens.

    Mann said 74 lakh families in Punjab have electricity meters in their homes, and 51 lakh of these have received electricity bills with no amount to pay, popularly called ‘zero electricity bills’.

    “The Delhi government saved Rs 150 crore on the construction of a bridge and spent that money on distributing free medicines to the needy people. Is that revdi? If that is the case, then I want to ask Prime Minister Narendra Modi who sold the papad (freebie promise) of depositing Rs 15 lakh in the bank accounts of citizens,” Mann added.

  • Bring white paper on black money stashed abroad: Congress to govt

    By PTI
    NEW DELHI:The Congress on Friday demanded that the government make a full disclosure of the nature of black money and names of the individuals who have stashed it in Swiss banks, and asked it to bring a white paper on how much of it has been brought back to the country in the last seven years.

    Congress spokesperson Gourav Vallabh said the government should also come out with a complete list of measures that it has undertaken to check the stashing of black money in foreign banks.

    The demand came after Switzerland’s national bank — Swiss National Bank (SNB) — released data of funds parked in Swiss banks that showed that deposits by Indians increased to 286 per cent in 2020, the highest in the last 13 years.

    Congress’s chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala also demanded answers from Prime Minister Narendra Modi on his promise to bring back black money and shared a video of the PM before he assumed power.

    “Money deposited in Swiss banks is now Rs 20,700 crore. 286 per cent increase between the year 2019-20, the maximum money in Swiss banks in last 13 years.

    “Modiji please reply — What happened to the promise to bring back black money in three years? It’s been seven years now. Is there no will power or money belongs to friends?” he asked on Twitter.

    Vallabh said the divide between the rich and the poor has widened in the country under the Modi government as this disclosure comes at a time when the Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy (CMIE) says close to 97 per cent Indians became poorer during the last year and on the other hand, the data of funds in Swiss banks for 2020 shows another side.

    “The Congress party demands that the Modi government provide a full disclosure of the nature of this money, the names and details of individuals who have stashed money in Swiss banks in the last year.

    “We demand that the Modi government bring a white paper providing details of how much black money has been brought back and from which country in the last seven years.

    “It should also come out with a complete list of measures that it has undertaken to check the stashing of black money in foreign banks,” he told reporters at a virtual press conference.

    Vallabh said in the last seven years, the government has been all talk and no action.

    “Why is the Modi government not prepared to share the names of the individuals who have moved money to Swiss banks in the last year? While 97 per cent Indians have become poorer, who are these people who are availing ‘aapda mein avsar’ (opportunity in disaster).

    “With such tall promises in 2014, what are the attempts being made by the government to bring back black money and how much black money has been brought back and from which country in the last seven years? What has the Modi government done to control the stashing of black money in foreign accounts?” he asked.

    Funds parked by Indian individuals and firms in Swiss banks, including through India-based branches and other financial institutions, jumped to 2.55 billion Swiss francs (over Rs 20,700 crore) in 2020 on a sharp surge in holdings via securities and similar instruments, though customer deposits fell, the annual data from Switzerland’s central bank showed.

    The increase in the aggregate funds of Indian clients with Swiss banks, from 899 million Swiss francs (Rs 6,625 crore) at the end of 2019, reverses a two-year declining trend and has taken the figure to the highest level in 13 years.

    It stood at a record high of nearly 6.5 billion Swiss francs in 2006, after which it has mostly been on a downward path, except for a few years including in 2011, 2013 and 2017, according to the SNB data.

    Vallabh alleged that a bigger revelation comes from the data of the Bank for International Settlement (BIS), which says deposits by Indian individuals in Swiss banks rose by 39 per cent in 2020 as compared to 2019.