Congress, TMC target govt over CCD founder VG Siddhartha’s death

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Tewari told The Indian Express, “The letter, which has appeared in the public space — without going into the veracity of it — makes very damning allegations about the role of may be a serving Director General of Investigation of Income Tax of having been one of the instruments of coercion which was a contributory factor, according to Siddhartha in that purported letter, to the suicide.”

Senior Congress leader Anand Sharma told The Indian Express that there has to be a conducive environment for Indian entrepreneurs.

“The BJP, when in opposition, used to talk about tax terrorism. Now Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Finance Minister should take note that there is continuing tax terrorism in this country and if what is alleged is true, driving such a prominent entrepreneur to death, then it is something which this country cannot allow. Accountability should be fixed, lessons have to be drawn. You cannot have India governed or entrepreneurship grow when there is fear, distrust, intimidation and excessive abuse of power by tax authorities and other agencies,” Sharma said.

Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa pays last respects to Cafe Coffee Day founder VG Siddhartha. (Photo by Darshan Devaiah)

“It is sad and it is unfortunate, but if this is the standard of ease of doing business which they are setting, then there is nothing more to be said,” he added.

Explained: What is a suicide note and can VG Siddhartha’s letter to CCD board be considered as one

Trinamool Congress supremo and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said in a Facebook post, “I am deeply shocked by the incident relating to V G Siddhartha…It is indeed very sad and very unfortunate. From what he has expressed, it appears that he was greatly depressed due to harassment and pressure from different agencies for which he could not run his business in a peaceful manner. This he could not resist. I hear from different sources that captains of industry in the country are under pressure; some of them have left the country and some are contemplating to move out.”

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The Trinamool plans to raise the issue of “harrassment of industry captains” in Parliament on Thursday. Banerjee said. “If the industry is demoralised, then there will be no economic and employment growth (and) as a result, more and more people will become jobless.”

“On one hand, the economic growth of the country has nosedived to as low as 5.8% in the fourth quarter of 2018-19, the lowest in the last 5 years, and unemployment has increased to the highest level in the last 45 years. On the other hand, central government is actively pursuing disinvestment of government assets, from Ordnance Factory Board to BSNL, from Air India to Railways, from Chittaranjan Locomotive Works to Alloy Steel Plant, Durgapur and about 45 more public sector undertakings,” Banerjee wrote in her post.

She also said “all the opposition political parties are afraid of horse-trading and harassment with political vendetta”.