NEW DELHI: Domestic black money is at least productive, but black money stashed abroad is treason, and it doesn’t benefit Indians — thus went the strong argument in a 2011 research report commissioned by BJP and co-authored, among others, by two of the most influential people in the ruling political establishment, National Security Adviser Ajit K Doval and Swadeshi Jagran Manch co-convener S Gurumurthy On November 8, PM Narendra Modi had announced the radical step of demonetising Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 currency notes — a move against domestically circulating black money. The 2011 paper, authored by Doval, Gurumurthy, lawyer Mahesh Jethmalani and IIM-Bangalore academic R Vaidyanathan, was titled ‘Indian Black Money Abroad - In secret banks and tax havens’. Its core argument was that targeting black money abroad was more important. Doval’s office didn’t respond to ET’s questions.Gurumurthy told ET the 2011 report "was in the context of the 2008 (global financial) crisis and the stand by Germany, France on tax havens”.He also said "domestic black money started increasing after rising circulation of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 currency notes from 2004 (when a Congress-led government came to power)”."What the government is doing now is doable by domestic action…for black money abroad we need cooperation of other nations,” Gurumurthy said. Vaidyanathan told ET that he "stands by his argument. Black money stashed abroad is idle and more of a problem. Government should try its best to bring back that. Half-hearted measures won’t work”.While amplifying on the distinction between domestic black money and unaccounted wealth kept abroad, the report had termed the act of sending untaxed income out of the country as "treason”."Domestic black money is a vote of no confidence on the government only while illegal Indian wealth abroad is a vote of no confidence on India as a country and hence treason,” the report had argued. "Domestic black or unaccounted money is definitely important. At least domestic black money is used in our economy and to that extent it is productive. But the money kept in Swiss banks is neither useful to India nor does it benefit Indians,” Doval, Gurumurthy and the other authors had told BJP.Some of the research paper’s recommendations such as setting up a Special Investigation Team for unearthing black money abroad were implemented earlier by the Modi government.The report had also highlighted the role of black money in financing terrorism, but had put more emphasis on illegal wealth held in tax havens as a source of terror finance.Emphasising the importance of targetting black money parked abroad, the report concluded: "Our Republic is under siege. Our polity is in shambles.”