Committee on curbing black money gets to work today

New Delhi: The government has been under attack by both the Opposition and civil society activists over the issue of black money. Now, it is attempting to prove that it's serious about tackling the problem.    

A special committee is meeting today to discuss how to check black money. It's headed by the Chairman of the Board of Direct Taxes. The agenda includes discussing tougher new laws, whether it's feasible to confiscate black money and declare it a national asset, and the need to introduce more serious punishment for those found guilty of collecting undeclared income.

The need to crack down on black money headed the list of demands put by Baba Ramdev to the government till the negotiations with the yoga guru collapsed last weekend, ending with the government ordering the police to dismantle the Baba's camp in Delhi. 65,000 supporters were present as the Baba merged an indefinite hunger strike against corruption and black money with the mass yoga classes that have made him a national phenomenon.

Gandhian Anna Hazare has also turned into a symbol of the country's fight against corruption after he conducted a lengthy hunger strike in April insisting that the government introduce the long-delayed Lokpal Bill - a new law which will target corruption among politicians and bureaucrats.