Former Union Finance Minister P. Chidambaram has wondered why no action was taken by the concerned authorities against Tamil Nadu chief-minister Edapadi K. Palaniswami and other members of his Cabinet despite it was clear that they had indulged in cash-for-vote practice prior to the cancelled R.K. Nagar by-polls in Chennai during in April this year.

Speaking to a private news television channel, Chidambaram detailed the efforts to eradicate black money made during the 10-year long tenure of the Congress at the Centre from 2004-14. “India’s tax regime is rather strange; agriculture, trusts, religious organizations, tribals and income of North East State residents need not pay income-tax; as such, black money can never be eradicated.

“The BJP-led Centre has put more than 100 crores people to hardships to recover black money from around 20 lakh people. People were made to undergo many hardships when demonetization was announced last year; there were also losses of human lives. Small and medium-range industries were closed down and people were not even able to withdraw their money from Banks/ATMs.

“It was said that Rs.89 crores was distributed to voters in R.K. Nagar before the by-polls were cancelled. What action did the Election Commission and the income-tax authorities take after that? The chief-minister and other ministers whose names figured in the list of persons entrusted to distribute cash have been let off. Why no FIR was filed against them by the income-tax officials?” Chidambaram thundered.