While addressing a press conference in the national capital today (March 21), Congress Parliamentary Party Chairperson Sonia Gandhi said that the electoral bonds benefitted the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) hugely.
Accusing Prime Minister Narendra Modi of crippling the Congress financially, former party president Sonia Gandhi on Thursday demanded that the party be given access to its bank accounts to ensure a level playing field in the run up to the Lok Sabha polls.
"This issue affects not just Congress, it impacts our democracy itself most fundamentally. A systematic effort is underway by the Prime Minister to cripple the Indian National Congress (INC) financially. Funds collected from the public are being frozen and money from our accounts is being taken away forcibly. However, even under these most challenging circumstances, we are doing our very best to maintain the effectiveness of our election campaign," Sonia Gandhi said.
"On one hand, there is the Electoral Bond issue which has been declared unconstitutional by the Supreme Court. Electoral Bonds benefitted the BJP hugely. On the other hand, the finances of the principal opposition party - the INC - are under a determined assault. This, we all believe, is unprecedented and undemocratic," added Congress leader Sonia Gandhi.
"The issue of freezing of accounts extremely serious, the issue affects not just Congress but our democracy. Money from accounts being taken away forcibly," said Sonia Gandhi.
In a press conference also addressed by Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi, the party stressed that all its accounts were frozen. "We can do no campaign work. Our ability to fight elections has been damaged," former Congress president Rahul Gandhi said while launching a scathing attack on the government over the issue of freezing of the party's accounts due to an Income Tax returns issue."Defreeze our accounts to ensure a level playing field in polls," Congress president Kharge added. According to Rahul Gandhi, this is not a freezing of the Congress' accounts but a freezing of Indian democracy.
"There is no democracy in India today and the idea that India is the world’s largest democracy is a complete lie," Rahul Gandhi alleged, terming the freezing of accounts a criminal action against the Congress and a criminal action by the prime minister and home minister.
"There are institutions that are supposed to protect the democratic framework but nothing is happening," he said. According to Sonia Gandhi, money from the Congress' accounts were being taken away forcefully. "Systematic effort is underway by prime minister to cripple the Congress financially," she said, hitting out at the government. On the one hand is the electoral bonds issue, on the other, finances of the principal opposition party are under assault, Sonia Gandhi said.
"Even under these challenges we are doing our best to maintain effectiveness of our campaign," Sonia Gandhi told reporters. The issue, she said, is extremely serious and affects not just Congress but India's democracy.
"I appeal to constitutional bodies that they should allow our party to access bank accounts if they want free and fair polls," Kharge said. The party in power, he said, amassed funds through electoral bonds while freezing the Congress' accounts to create hurdles for it in fighting polls. "Those in power should not have direct or indirect control over constitutional bodies," he said, adding that those in power should not have monopoly over resources.
Rahul Gandhi on 'electoral bonds'
As Congress bank accounts frozen, party leader Rahul Gandhi in Delhi said, "We are fighting against hatred-filled 'Asura-shakti' ".
On freezing of party accounts ahead of Lok Sabha elections, Congress MP Rahul Gandhi said, "This is a criminal action on the Congress party, a criminal action done by the Prime Minister and the Home Minister...So, the idea that India is a democracy is a lie. There is no democracy in India today. The idea that India is the world's largest democracy is a lie. A complete lie. 20 per cent of India votes for us and we are not able to pay Rs 2 for anything. It has been orchestrated to cripple us in the elections. Even if our bank accounts are unfrozen today, huge amount of debt damage has been done to Indian democracy."
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi added, "This is not freezing of Congress party's bank accounts, this is the freezing of Indian democracy. As the biggest opposition party, we are unable to take any action - we can't book advertisements or send our leaders anywhere. This is an assault on democracy."
Rahul Gandhi said, "All our bank accounts have been frozen. We can do no campaign work, we cannot support our workers, we cannot support our candidates...This has been done two months before the election campaign. One notice comes from the 90s, another from 6-7 years ago. Quantum amount Rs 14 Lakhs and punishment - our entire financial identity. EC has not even said anything. Already, our ability to fight elections has been damaged, we have already lost a month."
Here’s what Congress national president Mallikarjun Kharge said on LS polls and electoral bonds
“The announcement has been made for 18th Lok Sabha elections and every citizen of the country is eager to participate in this. India is known for its democratic values and models in the whole world. A fair election is essential for any democracy, along with a level playing field for all the political parties. It shouldn't be the case that the one in the power should have the authority over media and control over IT, ED, Election Commission and other autonomous bodies,” said Mallikarjun Kharge.
Mallikarjun Kharge in Delhi, said, "I don't want to mention how the BJP took money from some companies. As SC is probing the matter, I hope the truth will be before us soon. I appeal to the Constitutional institutions that if they want free and fair elections, then they should allow us to freely access our bank accounts. No political party comes under the purview of income tax."
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