Congress faces tightrope walk over black money law

NEW DELHI: The Modi government's legislation on black money has landed Congress in a dilemma: The party cannot oppose the measure for fear of being seen as blocking the anti-graft initiative but it cannot lend it a blanket support for fear of reinforcing BJP's allegation that UPA was soft on unaccounted wealth.

Wrestling with the political conundrum ahead of a discussion in Lok Sabha on Thursday, in-house brainstorming saw members eager that the party salvage some points.

It is feared that after having turned black money as an albatross around Congress' neck, BJP's law with stiff penalties for black money-holders could accrue more political advantage to the saffron party.

During discussions among Congress managers, it was suggested that the party focus on "failed election promises" of Modi government on black money front as also BJP's "false claims to malign UPA". The party may choose to argue that the Centre has brought the law to obscure its failure to deliver on the poll promises on this issue.

Congress would lean on the populist appeal of BJP's unfulfilled campaign pitch of "depositing Rs 15 lakh in every bank account" and "bringing back black money in 100 days" to make its point.

The twin promises, the leitmotif of PM Narendra Modi's blitzkrieg against UPA, formed the basis of the sustained opposition attack on BJP in the initial months, forcing BJP chief Amit Shah to dub it as mere "electionspeak".

Besides failed promises, Congress would focus on the "false claims" of BJP that painted Manmohan Singh government as lax on black money. A case is point is the BJP regime's affidavit in Supreme Court that it cannot disclose the illegal account holders in foreign banks because of the commitment given in the taxation treaties. The saffron outfit had savaged UPA for the same reasoning.

According to members, the leadership is eager that the party emerge from the debate with its head above water, aware that black money is its soft underbelly following the financial scandals of UPA era.

It was suggested that Congress MPs move amendments to demand inclusion of BJP's election promises in the bill, like illegal money recovered would be distributed among citizens. However, the suggestion has been seen as taking the argument too far.