Ralegan-Siddhi (Maharashtra): Social crusader Anna Hazare Saturday demanded that Prime Minister Narendra Modi fulfil his poll promise of bringing back money stashed abroad, failing which he would launch an agitation.
In a strongly worded letter, Hazare said that during the Lok Sabha election campaign Modi had promised countrymen that his government would bring back black money in foreign banks “within 100 days”.
“Now, it is over five months since your government took office but no concrete steps have been taken in this regard, as also the appointment of Lokpal. Now, people of the country are wondering whether all this was just an election gimmick to gather votes,” Hazare said in his letter.
Though a Special Investigation Team (SIT) was set up on the issue of bringing back money stashed abroad, Hazare said the government telling the Supreme Court that it could not reveal the names of people with money in foreign banks has shocked all.
Hazare added: “The so-called technical hitches in revealing the names which the government has mentioned in its affidavit were present even when the assurances were made during election campaigning. The people are suspecting if this was just an election stunt.”
He pointed out that Modi made laudatory speeches during his recent visits to Japan and USA — “Even I was very impressed… But now I am pained to say there is a wide gap between your words and deeds… The past 67 years’ experience has shown the people that mere speeches don’t bring about change, words and deeds have to match.”
Appealing on behalf of all countrymen, Hazare urged Modi to adopt a stern approach on this issue failing which he would “not hesitate to launch an agitation”.