TRICHY: Union minister Pon Radhakrishnan on Sunday defended income tax searches on the premises of jailed AIADMK leader VK Sasikala's family members, relatives and their supporters saying the exercise was part of the fight against black money.
"We should not politicise the income tax department's action. The I-T department is an autonomous body. Searches were also carried out even on the business establishments and houses of the functionaries of the Bharatiya Janata Party in other states", the minister said while speaking to reporters here.
Asked how long it would take to eradicate black money, he said, "We cannot fix a time frame to eradicate the entire black money from the country. It will take some time. However, it will certainly happen."
The minister said there was no link between the recent cut in the goods and services tax (GST) on 178 items of daily use and the forthcoming assembly elections in Gujarat. "The general public cutting across the party lines welcomed the central government's announcement reducing the tax rate to 18% from 28%," he said.
"We should not politicise the income tax department's action. The I-T department is an autonomous body. Searches were also carried out even on the business establishments and houses of the functionaries of the Bharatiya Janata Party in other states", the minister said while speaking to reporters here.
Asked how long it would take to eradicate black money, he said, "We cannot fix a time frame to eradicate the entire black money from the country. It will take some time. However, it will certainly happen."
The minister said there was no link between the recent cut in the goods and services tax (GST) on 178 items of daily use and the forthcoming assembly elections in Gujarat. "The general public cutting across the party lines welcomed the central government's announcement reducing the tax rate to 18% from 28%," he said.
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