The News Minute| New Delhi| June 17, 2014| 6.50 pm IST
Is Prime Minister Narendra Modi planning to kill two birds with one stone with names of Indians holding illegal bank accounts in Switzerland?
As news of names of Indians with these accounts percolates in New Delhi’s corridors, there is one obvious question. What was the reason for which former Finance Minister P. Chidambaram did not share the list with anyone including the parliament?
Sources tell The News Minute (TNM) an internal note readied by the Finance Ministry to the PMO suggests some of the reasons surrounding the high level of secrecy about the list.
The PMO, sources said, is mulling over the best use of this information including bringing a privilege motion against the UPA or even P Chidambaram in the Budget Session of the parliament for non-disclosure. Some suggest it could be a political call to silence the Opposition as well as signalling the start of serious and sustained cooperation between New Delhi and countries around the world where Indian cash and assets are stored and held illegally.
It may be recalled that TNM reported earlier this month that India had received a set of names of those who have accounts in Swiss Banks from Bern, the Swiss capital. These are not the names that were stolen from other banks, but are names given to the Finance Ministry directly in response to specific questions from New Delhi. Read- Swiss Accounts – India Has Some Names