BJP slams PM’s ‘cash back’ policy

The BJP flayed PM Manmohan Singh on Monday for calling the black money issue raised by it an “election stunt”, saying his “intemperate” statement showed the Congress’ desperation “as it reads the clear writing on the wall that the people of India are not returning it to power”.

Party PM candidate LK Advani, wondering was it wrong to rake up the issue on which the PM was “so confused”, said the BJP would bring back the Rs25 lakh crore stashed away in overseas banks within 100 days of assuming power and invest it in developmental projects.

“I had written to the prime minister on bringing back black money in Swiss banks... PM replied he had asked Pranab Mukherjee to follow it up... the UPA government has filed a reply of 40 pages in the Supreme Court,” he said at a rally at Chomu near Jaipur, and asked, “Is it wrong or a stunt? Why is Dr Singh so confused now on the black money issue and calling it an election stunt... I cannot understand.”

Manmohan had said at an election rally in Delhi on Sunday that the BJP had “not only made this issue an election stunt but they have also behaved irresponsibly on this issue”. He said the BJP’s campaign would “alert” those who had stashed away money abroad illegally.

The BJP also reacted to the PM’s charge that the party had no understanding of economics.