New Delhi, Dec 7 (IBNS) Yoga guru Baba Ramdev on Friday said the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) will be wiped out in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections.
At Agenda Aaj Tak conclave being held here, there was a heated exchange between Ramdev and Congress politician Sanjay Nirupam on Friday on the issue of bringing back black money into the country.
Ramdev claimed money from abroad as Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in multi-brand retail is just a fraction of the black money stashed abroad. He also accused Congress MPs of being agents of US retail giant Walmart.
Ramdev said, “Why do we need Rs 2 lakh crore FDI when more than Rs 10-16 lakh crore black money is stashed abroad. Black money is around 18-21% of the GDP (Gross Domestic Product). If the money is brought back, India’s growth will automatically rise."
"The issue of corruption will be a big issue in the next elections and the Congress-led government which is on ventilator will be wiped out,” he said.
Nirupam tried to counter the yoga guru by saying: “India is bound by the double tax avoidance agreement and 700 names of Indians who have stashed money abroad cannot be named because it will be a violation of the bilateral agreements with foreign countries."
He said it was a technical issue which is being given a political colour.
Nirupam accused Ramdev with doing business with yoga and charged him with not paying service tax of Rs 9000 crore.
Ramdev said, “It’s shocking that donations to Patanjali Yogpeeth is taxable, while donations to the Congress party is not taxable. If there’s black money in Patanjali Yogpeeth, I will not enter the ashram.”
