In an apparent bid to blunt the growing protest against black money in the country, the Union Finance Ministry has released a 13-page fact-sheet giving startling information about large scale tax evasion not only inside the country but also in the case of foreign remittances. Detailing the steps taken in the country and outside, the fact-sheet says the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) has detected undisclosed income of over Rs 32,000 crore besides seizing assets valued at over Rs 2,600 crore. This, it added, was in addition to detection of undisclosed income of Rs 17,325 crore in surveys conducted at business premises by the Income Tax Department (ITD). The fact-sheet goes to give more statistics pertaining to taxation matters including thousands of complaints being pursued for investigation into evasion of taxes. The one important conclusion to be drawn from this official fact-sheet is that the tendency of tax evasion is becoming a disease which is spreading its tentacles far and deep in our society. Let us be candid about it. While the civil society is justified in demanding that Indian money stashed in foreign banks should be retrieved to help our developmental efforts, it is also the responsibility of the civil society to bring awareness to the people that tax evasion is an anti-national act. It is sad that even big business concerns and magnates are also suspected of evading taxes running into crores of rupees as is to be found in the fact sheet. This is unacceptable. The civil society has to be upright if it expects the Government to be upright and without blemish. The fact-sheet is an eye opener and all patriotic Indians should discharge their responsibility in accordance with the law of the land failing which they should be prepared for the consequences.
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