Embarrassing that Padma awardees figure in Panama Papers: Sharad

Questioning the government’s decision to constitute a multi-agency team to look into the leaked ‘Panama Papers’, Janta Dal-United chief Sharad Yadav on Tuesday said it was “embarrassing” that the list of account holders includes the names of Padma awardees.

“A Supreme Court-monitored SIT is already looking into the issue of black money. The leaked Panama Papers should be part of this investigation. It is embarrassing that Padma awardees are among those who have opened such accounts,” he said.

He also attacked corporate houses for “looting” the country in the name of liberalisation and said the annual turnover of some of these was not more than Rs 2 crore in the 1990s but in 25 years rose to more than Rs 2 lakh crore.

“Has any government ever checked and verified as to how and why certain groups become so wealthy? Even a layman can understand that they cannot become so wealthy without the connivance of the government.

“The (Panama) report has revealed Indians in the global list of (those holding) secret firms in tax havens.

“That, in my opinion, is the result of blind liberalisation in our country and big people took advantage by accumulating illegal money abroad,” Yadav said in a statement.

Policies of liberalisation have helped the rich park their money abroad, he said, adding that they had only contributed towards increasing the difficulties and problems of the common man.

“Liberalisation has only benefited the big business houses and they cleverly misused policies. The government should immediately reveal the truth of black money parked overseas which the Bharatiya Janata Party promised before coming to power at the Centre,” he demanded.