Responding to Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley's remarks that the Congress party will be embarrassed once the names of those holding illicit foreign accounts will be revealed, UPA minister and Jaitley's predecessor a P Chidambaram in an interview with NDTV said that if any big Congress person's name comes up in the list, the party will not be embarrassed.
"Whatever name is there will embarrass the individual, the party won't be. These are individual transgressions," said Chidambaram,adding that the purpose of Jaitley's comment was to move from black money to black mail.
P Chidambaram. PTI
The Congress has asked the Modi Government to stop "blackmail" tactics and dared it to come out with full information, saying the party is above individuals. Senior Congress leader Digvijaya Singh earlier this week questioned the statements made by the finance minister and asked him to stop making selective leaks and reveal the names. Party general secretary Ajay Maken too said the government should desist coming out with "half truths" and "selective leakage".
Jaitley has not denied the possibility that the name of a former UPA minister was in the black money holders' list.
"I am neither confirming nor denying, only smiling," Jaitley said. He, however, added that he will be "enthusiastic" in sharing the names if any opponent's name is there.
To a question if there was anyone from the council of ministers of the government headed by Manmohan Singh, he said, "I don't want to give details about that because then again I will end up violating the treaty, I don't want to give those details."
Explaining the process involved in prosecuting the persons named by foreign government of holding black money abroad, he said the accounts will be made public in accordance with the due process of law.
"So, all we intend to tell the (Supreme) court is, we will make those names public against whom charges have been filed in the court," he said.
When told that political parties protect political parties in such matters, Jaitley said, "that is absolutely wrong. If my opponent's name is there I will be very enthusiastic in declaring the names.
"I think you wait for the facts. In case charges are proved against some politician, that politician he or she happens to be a member of any political parties, the names would be made public."
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