Black Money in Swiss Banks – Tarun Vijay contact Swiss Govt. directly

‘We are ready to reveal bank account details of Indians, Ask your govt to ratify treaty to unearth black money in Swiss banks’

– Swiss leader tells BJP M.P. Tarun Vijay in Zurich

6th October 2010-In a first ever move to contact directly the Swiss govt. to reveal names of those Indians having billions of dollars of black money stashed in Swiss banks, Mr. Tarun Vijay, Member of Parliament and national spokesperson of India’s largest opposition party BJP met Ms. Christa Markwalder, President, Foreign Affairs Committee (Präsidentin Aussenpolitische Kommission des Nationalrats) of the Swiss Parliament yesterday at Zurich and exchanged notes on the issue.  Ms. Christa Markwalder, while sending good wishes for Mr. Nitin Gadkari, President of the BJP said that she is happy to know about BJP’s interest in this matter. ‘But we have already signed a protocol about it with the Indian government recently and I was in India for that, met your Finance Minister Mr. Pranab Mukherjee and gave all the details about how the matter can be resolved to India’s satisfaction.

In fact, she said, we are too eager to have the treaty ratified by the Indian Parliament so that the curtain on the Indians’ accounts in Swiss banks can be opened.’ We want the credibility of the Swiss government protected and enhanced in the eyes of the world, Christa said. She also revealed that Swiss government is under pressure from G20 also to have the names of black money stashers revealed in order to help economies of many countries. So we are pushing the agenda”.

It’s to be noted that India and Switzerland signed a protocol on 31st August this year amending the existing Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement between the two nations, which would help the government obtain information on money stashed away in Swiss banks.

The revised pact was signed in the presence of Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee and the visiting Swiss Foreign Minister Micheline Calmy-Rey.

“The revised Double Taxation Agreement contains provisions on the exchange of information in accordance with the OECD standard, which were negotiated in line with the parameters decided by the (Swiss) Federal Council ‘said the Swiss minister. But surprisingly government has remained tight lipped about how and when this protocol would be ratified in the Indian Parliament, said Mr. Tarun Vijay  .Hence BJP’s anxiety to have the procedure completed soon. Mr. Vijay didnt criticise the Indian government on a foreign soil, stating its not our policy to take domestic bickerings against our own government abroad, We fight tooth and nail on our land on policy matters but in a foreign country we respect the principle that govt represents nation, it belongs to us all. He said he trusts that govt will ratify the treaty soon in the coming session of parliament. BJP will work to have it done.

Mr. Tarun Vijay gave details of the issue to Ms. Christa and told her how important was it for India to get back the black money stashed in Swiss Banks by Indians.  It’s reported that more than 1.4 trillion dollars of Indian black money, of politicians, industrialists and various other players has been stashed away illegally in Swiss banks.

Tarun Vijay said that Mr. Nitin Gadkari has resolved that the Party will not leave any stone unearthed to have the curtain on the Swiss accounts raised. He also extended an invitation for Ms. Christa Markwalder to visit Indian on behalf of Mr. Nitin Gadkari, President of the BJP and gave her the books written by Mr. Gadkari on economic development through providing employment to rural poor.

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