In a scathing attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi over Income Tax (I-T) Department’s action on the Congress, former party chief Sonia Gandhi accused Mr. Modi of carrying out “a systematic effort to financially cripple the party”.
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge said that such action points to the absence of a level playing ground. On questioning why constitutional authorities have not intervened so far, former party president Rahul Gandhi said the assertion that India is a democracy is a “lie”.
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In a press conference also addressed by the Congress president, Mr. Gandhi and other senior leaders, the party stressed that all its accounts were frozen.
Chairperson of the Parliamentary Party Ms. Gandhi said, “The issue we are talking today is extremely serious as the Congress president has mentioned . It doesn’t impact just the Congress party alone, but the Indian democracy itself.”
“Systematic efforts are under way to cripple congress financially. Money is being forcibly taken from us. Despite all this, we are doing our very best to effectively campaign. This is unprecedented and undemocratic,” she said.
Mr. Kharge said, “The elections to 18th Lok Sabha has started and every citizen is eager to participate. In a democracy, impartial elections and a level playing ground is essential. The ruling party shouldn’t have a monopoly over resources. It should not be the case that the media is controlled by the ruling party. The central agencies have been completely controlled by them.”
“The electoral bond data revealed after the Supreme Court order is shameful and worrisome. Now, there is a question mark over impartial elections. The Supreme Court called the bond scheme illegal and unconstitutional. But the ruling party has accumulated thousands of crores through this scheme while the bank account of the principal Opposition party’s have been frozen. This will have far reaching consequences,” Mr. Kharge noted.
“You have seen how a recent election in a foreign country has seen someone gather 99% votes. You can’t call an election, that attempts to make political party helpless and then have a election, to be free and fair,” the Congress president added.
“The BJP has cornered 56% of the electoral bonds. Look at their expenses. Their advertisements are all over the place, TV channel and newspapers. Look at the five star offices of the BJP. I don’t want to say how the BJP has gathered money. I appeal to the Constitutional authorities to ensure free and fair elections,” Mr. Kharge said, adding “Our accounts should be allowed to function normally. We are looking toward the courts to settle the tax disputes. The government and the ruling party doesn’t want us to contest elections freely.”
Mr. Gandhi said “Can you imagine, what happens when your bank account, your ATM card and your entire financial identity is erased. If this happens to a family, they will starve to death. If this happens to a business, they will be crippled. This is what they are doing to the Congress.”
“There are institutions that are to protect democracy like courts, Election Commission. This is a criminal action on the Congress party by the Prime Minister and the Home Minister. The idea that India is a democracy is a lie,” he said, adding “20% of India vote for us and we are not to pay ₹2 for anything. We can’t book slots for advertisement or even buy a rail ticket for our leaders to travel. No court is saying anything, no Election Commission is saying anything and no media is saying anything. I appeal to the Indian institutions, be it courts or Election Commission. This is not freezing of the Congress party’s bank accounts but freezing of the democracy.”
