Palash Biswas
Way back in 2005,I had decided to purchase a three room apartment built on my late journalist friend Mahendra Srivastav.The promoter informed me that I had to pay just Rs.Eight lac only and he would manage the bank loan. I had no cash in hand and was planning to get personal loan which turned to be rather a Herculean task as no bank was ready to pass personal loan for a scribe in Kolkata. However, some friends specifically DSB old boy Rajiv Kumar assured me that there would not be any problem whatsoever as they were ready to help me with the booking amount. I was planning to draw some amount from my PF to pay back them.
Meanwhile, the promoter asked me about my plan to pay Rs. One Lac in black. I never earned anything but my wage. I was getting a handsome amount regularly for my writing which stopped as soon as I started to write against open market economy and economic reforms in nineties. Being a sub editor of a low graded of a national daily, I had no way to save as I faced several emergencies including my wife's open heart surgery. I informed the promoter that I may pay only in white as I may not get the black money. I could not manage to get a piece of land either.
The latest status around my locality is that two room apartments do cost Rs. Fifty lac. Even in a remote island like Ganga Sagar no land is available which is spared from the clutches of builders and promoters.
Hence, just after my retirement I would have no shelter to rest in and it would be very tough to sustain ourselves as both me and my wife are diabetic and have to spend a lot on medical expenses.
In a world just on fire and ruled by promoters, my purse would not allow me to have a home just because I have no black money.
Economic Times focused on Black money in its Sunday editions. I am quoting relevant articles to expose the meat of the problem which is rather showcased as cakewalk in continuous election campaign of the Indian Prime Minister.
http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/articleshow/45007228.cms?utm_source=contentofinterest&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=cppst
My readers would remember, I always have written about free flow of capital and foreign investment referring it to the wide open floodgates of recycled black money.
The development so much so hyped as infrastructure is in reality all about promoter builder and mafia raj.
Hitherto, no scam is decoded and the economic criminals have been elevated to such a highest that they are immune to any trial or investigation.
The roots of Black money have always been defended and it has become the green revolution.
The constitution of India has become irrelevant and every constitutional provision to amount as safeguards for helpless Indian citizens has been mutilated breaking the framework of the constitution. Parliamentary democracy has become a mockery as market and private parties have hijacked the parliamentary democracy.
No one represents the citizens of India. No public hearing. Private parties have the final say and minimum governance is meant nothing but intensive corporate lobbying and mandate is managed by foreign investment.
No wonder, as probe into suspected black money stashed abroad by Indians gathers steam, banks in Switzerland are running from pillar to post to safeguard their interest while some are also considering financial provisions in their books for possible penal actions and legal costs.
At the same time, banks are also lobbying with the Swiss government to insist on putting in place necessary measures in their information-exchange and administrative assistance frameworks with India for safeguarding the interest of banking institutions during the subsequent prosecution and other legal or regulatory proceedings in the black money cases. Sources, however, said that the role of some banks, as also that of certain bankers, has already come under scanner for acting in concert with the suspected black money hoarders and also for making 'safe haven' promises for their funds.
