Black money went into pockets of BJP functionaries: Yashwant Sinha

Former BJP leader and union finance minister Yashwant Sinha, a bitter critic of the Modi Government, believes that ‘black money’ was whitewashed during #Notebandi and went into the pockets of BJP leaders. In an interview to The Telegraph published by the newspaper on Saturday (the link is given below), Sinha felt that if a new Government comes in next month, the first thing it should do is to order an inquiry.

Initially, says Sinha, he was taken in by what the Government wanted people to believe; that Rupees five to six lakh Crore of black money would not return and accrue to the Government. But now indications are that this amount was laundered at a discount of 30 to 40 per cent, he points out in the interview.

“…this money appears to have gone into the private pockets of BJP functionaries. The point is where has the black money gone? …This is one of the first inquiries which should be ordered by a new government if the government changes,” he added.

These are some of the other points Sinha makes in the interview:

• He questions the way Narendra Modi constituted his ministry. Arun Jaitley, who had lost the election, was rewarded with two huge ministries—finance and defence. “Very important portfolios were handed over to ministers of state, like commerce and petroleum, in which ministers have an international role, apart from national role. All these oddities were not pointed out by the media.
• The PM was treated Parliament with disdain, as a necessary nuisance.
• We all know how the RBI and CBI were compromised. There are many other things about which we don’t know.

Media is the only means through which information reaches the people. Now people are subjected to untruths and misinformation on a daily basis.

What is the age of the attorney-general of the country — 86. He has to stand in the court daily and argue cases. Somebody like Sumitra Mahajan, who just turned 76, is discarded as deadwood. So this is an untenable theory to begin with. The other is the point that you made. Ok, you retire them but they are available for consultation. Institutional memory — what happened in the past — is a very important input.

• RSS is caught in a time warp. They may have replaced their half pants with trousers, but they are far from being modern. They are an anachronism in this day and age.
• Modi and this muscular nationalism will face a whole lot of local issues and caste. Caste is the biggest antidote to Hindutva. Modi is using this narrative because his government is a signal failure.
• This is the only government in history which destroyed jobs.

The former union minister says he is shocked to find the Government lying on a daily basis and cheating the people. There is an element of deceit in every sphere.

You can read the entire interview in the The Telegraph