Just before the Lok Sabha elections, Congress launched a significant attack on PM Modi's government on Thursday following the freezing of bank accounts. Leading figures in Congress, from President Mallikarjun Kharge to Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, and Party Treasurer Ajay Makan, critically questioned the Income Tax Department's actions. They outlined the challenges and difficulties posed by the freeze. Sonia Gandhi criticized attempts to incapacitate India's oldest party.
Rahul Gandhi expressed concern over the inability to send leaders to other cities or even afford train tickets due to lack of funds. Ajay Makan lamented that the party could not print election pamphlets or book advertisements, effectively hampering election preparations. He likened the freeze to putting Indian democracy on ice – a move to push them into the elections helpless.
Kharge's Statement...
President Mallikarjun Kharge underscored the necessity of a level playing field for fair elections in a democracy. Following a Supreme Court order that laid bare the reality behind electoral bonds, he stressed the need for equal opportunities for all political entities and condemned the actions that have effectively created a monopoly over resources. He accused the BJP of intentionally hindering the Congress' election battle through financial obstruction. Kharge pointed to the BJP's considerable advertising presence and unaccounted election expenses as indicative of a damaging monopoly.
Further Reading: 'Unable to spend even two rupees, bank accounts maliciously frozen...', Congress leaders including Rahul, Sonia, and Kharge assail Modi administration
Kharge explained the meaning of a level playing field – a situation where conditions are fair for all contestants, a term often used in politics and business to advocate for fair competition.
He pressed on the fact that those in power shouldn't monopolize resources or control enforcement agencies. As the 18th Lok Sabha elections have been announced and the ethos of democratic values in India demands fair and impartial elections with equal opportunities for all. The blame is not just on frozen bank accounts but a broader attempt at crippling the Congress party financially, affecting the democratic foundation of India.
Sonia Gandhi's Perspective...
Sonia Gandhi raised significant concerns about the detrimental impact on democracy. She accused the BJP of never being questioned on taxes and targeted the Prime Minister's alleged systematic efforts to weaken Congress financially. She stressed that even amidst challenging situations, they strive to maintain an effective election campaign. She pointed out the dubious role of electoral bonds, now deemed unconstitutional, and how enforcement agencies have primarily benefited the BJP while simultaneous financial attacks target the major opposition party – a deeply undemocratic scenario she argued.
Also Read: Congress labels Modi as 'Corruption Bond', rages over frozen bank accounts
Rahul Gandhi Speaks Out...
Rahul Gandhi exposed that their bank accounts had been frozen a month ago without any legal interventions or public discourse. Representing 20% of India's electorate, they are now financially immobilised, according to Gandhi. He detailed the imposition of a disproportionate 200 crore fine for a 14 lakh issue, labeling it a criminal act by the PM. He laments the lack of accountability from the courts and the Election Commission in this matter, stating that freezing Congress's bank accounts equates to freezing Indian democracy itself.
Envision a scenario where all your financial resources are abruptly cut off – that's the predicament Congress is grappling with, he shared. With leaders unable to even purchase air or train tickets, Gandhi asserted that it is a pre-election tactic by the PM and Home Minister, undermining the democracy of India and contradicting the claim of being the world’s largest democracy as mere falsehood.
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Ajay Makan's Reverberations...
Congress Treasurer Ajay Makan, decried the attack on Indian democracy, stating that Congress is unable to utilize its funds, with the opposition incapacitated from spending on elections. He criticized the dredging up of three-decade-old cases to thwart Congress’s election campaign, leaving them with an unusable 285 crore rupees in the bank, essential for publicity. Makan highlighted the coercive transfer of 115 crore rupees by the tax authorities and questioned the timing of a 30-year-old assessment now being leveraged against them.
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He shared the inexplicable freezing of accounts over a seven-year-old case, pondering over why action is taken now and why Congress is singled out when all parties could be in the scope of amnesty. Makan denounced the imposition of a 210 crore penalty over a 0.7% irregularity of just 14.40 lakh rupees, far exceeding the legal limit of a 10,000 rupee fine. He concluded with a call for support, suggesting that without backing today, democracy will not survive.
