December 29, 2024 04:12 am (IST)
Follow us:
facebook-white sharing button
twitter-white sharing button
instagram-white sharing button
youtube-white sharing button
India mourns as nation bids farewell to Manmohan Singh with full state honours | Narendra Modi-led Union Cabinet passes 'Condolence Resolution' on passing of ex-PM Manmohan Singh | Space will be allocated for Manmohan Singh's memorial, announces Centre | He was my friend, philosopher, and guide: Sonia Gandhi remembers Manmohan Singh in an emotional post | Vladimir Putin condoles Manmohan Singh's death, calls him 'outstanding statesman' | Congress writes to PM Modi seeking space for building a memorial to Manmohan Singh | Manmohan Singh will be remembered as a kind person, a learned economist, and a leader dedicated to reforms: PM Modi | Russian ambassador to India Denis Alipov grieves Manmohan Singh's demise | Mumbai terror attack shook Manmohan Singh badly, recalls former deputy NSA | I have lost a mentor and guide: Rahul Gandhi writes on Manmohan Singh's demise

Jaitley hits back to Chidambaram, says corruption peaked at Congress time

| | Dec 13, 2016, at 08:11 pm
New Delhi, Dec 13 (IBNS) : Hitting out at his predecessor P Chidambaram, who called the note ban exercise as the "biggest scam of the year," Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on Tuesday said that the erstwhile Congress Government had done nothing to check corruption, but the present dispensation is on way to building up a digital economy to contain tax evasions.

"Corruption, scams peaked in Congress period. Given this scandalous record it is uncomfortable with anti-corruption steps. So it's understandable that they are uncomfortable with this strong step by the Modi Government," Jaitley said.

The Finance Minister said during the ten-year Congress rule from 2004 to 2014, high denomination currency increased to 80 per cent from 36 per cent of the total currency.

"Our strategy is to move to a low cash economy ... "As more and more transactions are made cashless, they will come under taxation.. (and with this) taxes will be made more reasonable, both direct and indirect,” Jaitley said.

"Future transactions will be substantially digital and once they are substantially digital they get caught in the tax net" he added.

"We are now rapidly completing the demonetisation scheme, significant amounts will be injected in next 3 weeks", the Minister said.

His reaction came after former Union Finance Minister and Congress leader P Chidambaram said how the new notes of 2000 denominations are finding way to the hands of touts and hoarders should be probed and the government should he held accountable.

Addressing a press conference in Nagpur, Chidambaram said the government cannot merely brush aside the issue by saying the Income Tax department is investigating it.

"There should be a special investigating team to probe how 2000 rupee note get into the hands of individuals," he said.

Support Our Journalism

We cannot do without you.. your contribution supports unbiased journalism

IBNS is not driven by any ism- not wokeism, not racism, not skewed secularism, not hyper right-wing or left liberal ideals, nor by any hardline religious beliefs or hyper nationalism. We want to serve you good old objective news, as they are. We do not judge or preach. We let people decide for themselves. We only try to present factual and well-sourced news.

Support objective journalism for a small contribution.