The Hindu : Front Page : “Income Tax tribunal reprieve for Mayawati shocking”

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Saturday, Jan 05, 2008
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“Income Tax tribunal reprieve for Mayawati shocking”

Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI: The Union Government must challenge the order of the Income Tax Appellate Tribunal accepting Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati’s plea that her personal wealth was created by “gifts” given by her supporters out of “love and affection and personal esteem”, the Bharatiya Janata Party said here on Friday.

If the order is not challenged, not only corrupt politicians, corrupt bureaucrats and police officers would also come out with similar claims, said party spokesperson Ravi Shankar Prasad.

“What is to prevent a district collector from saying that the disproportionate assets he possesses were not created through corrupt means but that he received gifts from the people he had served well in the district?” asked a senior party leader.

The Tribunal order was described by the party as shocking. A view is that the order would have the effect of making nonsense of the disproportionate assets case against the UP Chief Minister and in future no case could be brought against any politicians or bureaucrats.

“We are very worried. It is a very disturbing order,” said Mr. Prasad, adding, “It has the potential of being used and abused and legitimising corruption. The Government of India must challenge the Tribunal order.”

The party noted that the tribunal seemed to have accepted even the plea that some of Ms. Mayawati’s poor supporters had borrowed money in order to gift it to their beloved leader.

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