Swaraj India, the political wing of the Swaraj Abhiyan that was launched last year, held its first rally in the Capital on Sunday. Attacking black money and demonetisation at Jantar Mantar, leaders of Swaraj India accused the Union government of misleading people with its “half-hearted” attempts at tackling black money.
According to them, political parties were “functioning as conduits” in converting black money.
Swaraj India claimed that the NDA-led Central government was “equally insincere” as the previous UPA government when it came to meeting the challenges posed by the menace of black money. At its Sunday rally, which was attended by hundreds of supporters, activists and other groups, the leaders said that the ongoing proceedings against black money had been guarded by political parties.
Make cash
declarations public
Criticising the recent decision to leave out political parties from the tax ambit, Yogendra Yadav, who is one of the founding members of Swaraj India, compared black money to demon king Ravana.
According to Mr. Yadav, demonetisation only attacked one aspect of the black money menace, and that it could be slayed only by attacking its navel — political corruption. The party claimed that successive governments and major political parties had “consistently defied the Election Commission’s plea” to follow standard accounting practices.
Swaraj India also demanded that cash declarations by political parties till December 30 be made public and subjected to a special audit.
“There is no way the government can prevent political parties from functioning as conduits of converting demonetised currency into white money,” the party claimed.
“I had written to the Prime Minister in July 2014 suggesting ways to curb black money. Instead, existing laws and institutions that could prevent corruption and black money are being weakened,” said Prashant Bhushan, another founding member of Swaraj India.
Supporters dressed in yellow bandanas and t-shirts raised slogans against the Centre for its ‘inefficiency’ in weeding out black money and corruption.
‘No Lokpal yet’
“Corrupt officials are being placed in key positions in anti-corruption organisations. Three years have passed since the Lokpal Bill was passed, but no Lokpal has been appointed,” Mr. Bhushan said.
Among other speakers was Professor Arun Kumar, an economist, who said that the volume of black money was close to Rs. 93 lakh.
Also, the party said it planned to launch a nation-wide campaign demanding reforms in rules governing political funding.
Swaraj India, along with its non-electoral organisation Swaraj Abhiyaan, now plans to join rallies organised by the Mazdoor Kisan Shakti Sangathan.
