#SwissLeaks: Reactions galore after The Indian Express investigation reveals HSBC list

The list includes prominent businessmen, diamond traders, politicians and NRIs.

Read: The List: Who’s Who and How Much

Arvind Kejriwal, chief of the Aam Aadmi Party, was one of the first leaders to voice his opinion on the revelations. He said that the names revealed in the list today were included in a press conference that he conducted in November, 2012. He also enquired as to why the BJP government at the Centre was not acting against HSBC officials.

The names i revealed in a PC on 9 Nov 2012 are there in IE list today. We stand vindicated(1/3)

— Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) February 9, 2015

But bigger Q is – what did first cong and now BJP do? Nothing? Why? Some of these people claim to hv both BJP n Cong in their pocket(2/3)

— Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) February 9, 2015

Why doesn’t BJP govt act against HSBC officials? They will spill the beans. US did precisely that(3/3)

— Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) February 9, 2015

Congratulations to @IndianExpress for showing courage

— Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) February 9, 2015

AAP spokesperson Atishi Marlena shored up support for her party leader by alleging of collusion by successive governments even after Kejriwal’s statements in the 2012 press conference.

#SwissLeaks list has 1195 names, and @IndianExpress says this is only Part 1 of the investigation! Am sure many ppl are worried abt Part 2!

— Atishi Marlena (@AtishiMarlena) February 9, 2015

Many of these were revealed in 2012 by @ArvindKejriwal, yet no action was taken by successive govts against them. Was there collusion?

— Atishi Marlena (@AtishiMarlena) February 9, 2015

BJP leader Kiran Bedi also tweeted saying that the disclosures in the Express investigation were evidence of where “our national wealth” meant for infrastructure and nation building went. She also demanded exemplary punishment for those involved in the “scam.”

Here is evidence of where our national wealth,meant for infrastructure +nation building went..Truly Criminal pic.twitter.com/pdDDZGOt4a

— Kiran Bedi (@thekiranbedi) February 9, 2015

Trinamool Congress leader Derek O’Brien wrote on Twitter that if Parliament was in session, the Express front page story would have “rocked” both houses.

If Parliament was in session,the front page Indian Express story on power money in phoren accounts would have rocked both Houses…boom

— Derek O’Brien (@quizderek) February 9, 2015

Raju Narisetti, senior vice-president of strategy at News Corp, tweeted that India shall wake up to the explosive HSBC revelations made as part of the investigation project.

India will wake up to #swissleaks @IndianExpress Top 100 @HSBC accounts with India address http://t.co/mQCXiQrBZO pic.twitter.com/UxLFBXKwXB

— Raju Narisetti (@raju) February 8, 2015

“@IndianExpress: THE #swissleaks LIST: Top 100 HSBC account holders with Indian addresses http://t.co/mQCXiQrBZO pic.twitter.com/UxLFBXKwXB

— Raju Narisetti (@raju) February 8, 2015

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Dilip Cherian, columnist and PR guru, clarified that the date of publication of the investigative project was decided weeks ago by the international consortium of journalists and not connected in any way to the Delhi elections.

#SwissLeaks date was decided weeks ago, by global consortium that committed to publish it ! Not linked to #DelhiElections

— dilip cherian (@DILIPtheCHERIAN) February 9, 2015

Chitra Subramaniam, a prominent journalist known for her investigation into the Bofors case, wrote on Twitter that it is a black Monday for HSBC as irrefutable evidence has popped up from all corners.

Black Monday for #HSBC – irrefutable documentary evidence popping up from all around and rolled out in neat stories by journalists. Bravo!

— Chitra Subramaniam (@chitraSD) February 8, 2015

#HSBC sheltered cash held by dictators and murky arms dealersThe international list is impressive, http://t.co/ni2VmAlgSq #swissleaks @icij

— Chitra Subramaniam (@chitraSD) February 8, 2015

 

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