Rahul Gandhi attacks govt on Cyprus' 'golden passport' scheme
asks why brothers of 'param mitra' left country in 'Amrit Kaal'
New Delhi, Nov 15: Former Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday questioned why the brothers of the "param mitra" left India during "Amrit Kaal" after reports that some businessmen, including Gautam Adani's elder brother Vinod Adani, were among the 66 Indians who got the "golden passport" in Cyprus.
"Why did the brothers of the 'param mitra' leave India during 'Amrit Kaal'? 'Golden passport' means a golden opportunity for theft -- steal public money, form a shell company and spend abroad," Gandhi said in a post in Hindi on X.
He said this following media reports that Vinod Adani and Pankaj Oswal were among the 66 Indians who got the "golden passport". The "golden passport" scheme was also called the "Cyprus Investment Programme" after it was introduced in 2007 and it facilitated the grant of Cypriot citizenship to financially prominent individuals, thereby bringing in foreign direct investments (FDI) into the country.
Ruling Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) IT cell in-charge Amit Malviya hit back at Gandhi, saying it was under the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government that the India-Cyprus tax treaty created a haven for tax evaders.
"You practically rolled out the red carpet for investors to bypass Capital Gains tax, with Cyprus not imposing such taxes either. Add to that the low withholding tax rate, and you have got yourself a perfect recipe for creating a tax haven, luring businesses and individuals to funnel money into Cyprus.
"But when the BJP led NDA came into power, we saw through this charade and took immediate, decisive action. In 2016, we didn't just tweak the Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement (DTAA) with Cyprus; we overhauled it. Our revision, effective retrospectively from, Nov 2013, was a game-changer. It shifted the taxation of capital gains right back to where the income is made -- the source country -- rather than letting investors hide behind the veil of their country of residence. This wasn't just a policy shift; it was a direct challenge to the tax avoidance circus you had running," Malviya claimed in a post on X.
Responding to Gandhi's post on the microblogging website, he said, "Let's talk about the grandfathering clause we introduced for investments made before April 1, 2017. It wasn't just a clause; it was a statement. We ensured a fair transition to the new regime, where capital gains would be taxed in the investor's country of residence for investments made before this deadline."
"This shift was monumental. It wasn't just about fair taxation; it slammed the door shut on using offshore entities for tax evasion. The so-called 'Golden Passport' that you accuse us of promoting? It's a relic of your governance, a symbol of the opaque, underhand dealings you endorsed," he said.
"So, let us set the record straight. Those who have left are your 'Param Mitras'. Their departure is on you. Your legacy of promoting tax havens and opaque financial practices is what drove them out. Our reforms have not only plugged these gaps but have showcased our unwavering commitment to transparent and accountable tax governance. Your accusations don't just fall flat; they're a stark reminder of your party's dubious past," Malviya claimed.
'अमृत काल' में 'परम मित्र' के भाई भारत छोड़ कर क्यों भागे?
— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) November 15, 2023
'गोल्डन पासपोर्ट' मतलब चोरी का सुनहरा मौका - जनता का पैसा चुराओ, Shell कम्पनी बनाओ और विदेश में उड़ाओ। pic.twitter.com/ueXiWqPKvD
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What was the need to disrespect 82-year-old leader: Priyanka slams PM
New Delhi (PTI): Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Friday accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of disrespecting Mallikarjun Kharge by not replying to the Congress president's letter himself, and said it is unfortunate that leaders in the highest positions have rejected great traditions of democracy.
The Congress general secretary said today's politics is full of poison and the prime minister should have set a different example, keeping the dignity of his post in mind.
On Tuesday, Kharge had written a letter to the prime minister and raised the issue of "extremely objectionable" and violent statements by the ruling alliance members targeting Rahul Gandhi, urging him to discipline his leaders.
In response to Kharge's letter to Modi, BJP chief J P Nadda wrote to the Congress president and cited his party's own litany of complaints against the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha and other Congress members for their choice of words against the prime minister.
In a post in Hindi on X, Priyanka Gandhi said that in view of the unrestrained and violent statements of some BJP leaders and ministers, Congress president and Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Kharge wrote a letter to the PM, concerned about the safety of the life of Rahul Gandhi.
"If the Prime Minister had faith in democratic values, balanced dialogue and respect for elders, he would have himself replied to this letter.
Instead, he got a low-level and aggressive reply written by Nadda ji and sent it," she said.
What was the need to disrespect an 82-year-old senior public leader, Priyanka Gandhi asked.
"The tradition and culture of democracy is to ask questions and have a dialogue. Even in religion, no one is above values such as dignity and etiquette," she said.
"Today's politics is full of poison, the Prime Minister should have set a different example, keeping the dignity of his post in mind," Priyanka Gandhi said.
If the PM had respectfully replied to the letter of a senior politician, his image and dignity would have increased in the eyes of the public, she said.
"It is unfortunate that our leaders in the highest positions in the government have rejected these great traditions," Priyanka Gandhi said.
The Congress on Thursday had said Prime Minister Modi must rise above "petty politics" and condemn the actions of the ruling alliance leaders, who targeted Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi.
The opposition party had asserted the whole world is watching how the ruling BJP is "putting the life of the Leader of the Opposition in danger".
The assertion came in a letter by AICC general secretary in-charge Jairam Ramesh to Nadda in response to the BJP chief's letter to Kharge earlier.
The opposition party has slammed as "intemperate" and "juvenile" Nadda's reply to Kharge on his letter to Prime Minister Modi flagging "threats" aimed at Gandhi.
