Rahul, TMC’s Sircar target govt over Cyprus Confidential revelations

In a post in Hindi on X, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said: “Why did the brothers of the ‘Param Mitr’ leave India in Amrit Kaal? ‘Golden Passport’ means a golden opportunity to steal — loot public money, float shell companies and spend abroad.”

TMC MP Jawhar Sircar, in a post, said: “Endless scams by black-money racketeers, many Indians. How many Indians named in Offshore Leaks (2013), HSBC Swiss Leaks (2015), Panama Papers (2016), Paradise Papers (2017), Pandora Papers (2021) prosecuted in last 9 years? Now add Cyprus Confidential.”

Responding to Rahul Gandhi’s remarks, BJP IT Cell in-charge Amit Malviya said it was under the UPA that the India-Cyprus tax treaty was signed, creating 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,” he said in a post on X.

“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. …Those who have left are your ‘Param Mitras’. …Your legacy of promoting tax havens and opaque financial practices is what drove them out.”

He said that when the NDA came to power, it took immediate and decisive action.