MumbaiL Stepping up the offensive against the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government, veteran BJP leader LK Advani on Saturday demanded to know why Congress President Sonia Gandhi is "totally silent" on the issues of black money, corruption and inflation.

"I would like specifically know as to why the Congress President is totally silent on the issues of black money, corruption and inflation. All the while, we have seen other Congress spokespersons speaking on these issues and the Prime minister speaking occasionally, but not the Congress president…. I would like her to air her opinion on these three issues," Advani said.

Besides being the Congress president, Sonia Gandhi is also the chairperson of the ruling UPA coalition.

Addressing a news conference here, the BJP patriarch said that the BJP-led Opposition would focus on the issue of black money during the forthcoming winter session of Parliament, beginning on November 20.

"I believe that after my Jan Chetna Yatra, the focus of the winter session of Parliament is bound to on black money parked in foreign banks. We would like to know from the Government as to what it has done till date to ensure that the black money stashed away in Swiss and other foreign banks was not withdrawn by the depositors concerned," the BJP leader said.

Advani reiterated his demand for a white paper from the UPA government on the steps taken by it to address the issue of Rs 25 lakh crore of black money stashed away in Swiss and other foreign banks.

"Powerful countries like the United States, Germany and France and even smaller countries have taken a variety of measures to bring back the dirty money stashed away in Swiss and other foreign banks. Why is the UPA government not following the steps taken by these countries?," Advani asked.

The BJP leader also demanded to know as to why India, despite being an important country in the world and also part of the G-20, was reluctant to assert itself in the light of its rising global stature to recover the dirty money.

"When the whole world is proceeding towards openness and disclosure of information, what prevents the UPA government from disclosing the names of those who have parked the black money in foreign banks?," he asked.

Advani specifically asked as to who were three Members of Parliament (MPs) who are being investigated by the Income Tax department for allegedly stashing away black money in a Swiss Bank.

"This is a very serious issue. This brings the issue of black money close to the political system and it cannot be dealt with only as a tax evasion issue. The Government has to make public full facts on the issue," the BJP leader said, as he wound up his second leg of the tour of Maharashtra.

Advani, who has been on the Jan Chetna Yatra (a nation-side tour against corruption and black money) on October 11, has so far covered 15 states and one Union territory of India. During the remaining part of his 38-day yatra, he will cover eight more states and four union territories. His yatra will culminate in a public rally in New Delhi on November 20.