Rajya Sabha MP and former Congress president Sonia Gandhi on Thursday said that money is being taken away forcibly from the Congress party's bank accounts. The Congress leader also claimed that a systematic effort by Prime Minister Narendra Modi is underway to cripple the Congress financially.
Last month, the Congress bank accounts were frozen by the Income Tax department due to a discrepancy in its income tax returns filing for 2018-19. The I-T department alleged the party's auditors mishandled funds and accused the party of taxation-related offences.
She added that funds collected from the public are being frozen. Explaining the details, All India Congress Committee (AICC) treasurer Ajay Maken said the Income Tax Department has served two notices to the Congress for two separate cases dating back to assessment years 2017-18 and 1994-95.
"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 financially. Funds collected from the public are being frozen and money from our accounts is being taken away forcibly," Sonia Gandhi said during a Congress press conference on Thursday.
She further noted that the grand old party is trying its best to maintain the effectiveness of their Lok Sabha election campaign in these challenging times. "However, even under these most challenging circumstances, we are doing our very best to maintain the effectiveness of our election campaign," the former Congress president said.
Sonia Gandhi also mentioned the contentious issue of electoral bonds during the course of the press conference. She said that the now defunct scheme of political funding benefitted the ruling BJP dispensation hugely.
Calling the action against Congress bank accounts unprecedented and undemocratic, the Rajya Sabha MP said the finances of India's principal Opposition party are "under determined assault."
"On one hand, there is the electoral bond issue, which has been declared unconstitutional by the Supreme Court. The electoral bonds have benefitted, as everyone knows, the BJP hugely and massively," Gandhi claimed.
She furthermore said: "On the other hand, the finances of the principal opposition party, the Indian National Congress, are under determined assault. This, we all believe, is unprecedented and undemocratic!"
Commenting on the issue of Congress party bank account, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge said the bank account has been frozen to ensure they are not able to contest elections on an equal footing. He demanded a "level playing field" to ensure free and fair elections.
"BJP has deposited thousands of crores of rupees in its bank accounts under the election donation scheme which the Supreme Court has declared illegal and unconstitutional. On the other hand, the bank account of the main opposition party (Congress) has been frozen, so that we are not able to contest the elections on an equal footing due to lack of money. This is a dangerous game played by the ruling party," Kharge said.
Not only Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi also talked at length about the grand old party's bank accounts being frozen. Gandhi said that the party is not able to do campaign work and support its workers and candidates.
He added that the grand old party's ability to fight elections has been damaged and the Election Commission of India has not said or done anything in the matter.
"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 lakh 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," Rahul Gandhi said.