India’s Congress Party Accuses Modi Government of Financial Sabotage
In a bold move, India’s main opposition Congress party has pointed fingers at Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s administration, alleging that the tax department is being used to strangle their finances just ahead of the upcoming elections.
Congress leader Sonia Gandhi didn’t hold back, claiming that there has been a deliberate attempt to financially cripple the party, calling it a “systematic effort”.
The freeze on the party’s accounts, holding a substantial 2.1 billion rupees ($25 million; £20 million), has been labeled as “unprecedented and undemocratic”.
Despite the accusations, both the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the tax department have remained silent on the matter.
During a press conference on Thursday, Congress leaders Mallikarjun Kharge, Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, and treasurer Ajay Maken raised the issue as the country gears up for the general elections to be held in multiple phases throughout April and May.
Just last month, Congress revealed that its bank accounts had been frozen by the income tax (IT) department, causing further turmoil within the party.
A total of 11 party accounts have been frozen, with the substantial amount of 2.1 billion rupees being put under lien, preventing any withdrawals or transfers.
Speaking out against these actions, Sonia Gandhi emphasized that this was not just about freezing bank accounts, but rather an attack on Indian democracy itself.
The Congress party’s treasurer, Ajay Maken, highlighted the “unprecedented action” taken by the tax authorities due to an alleged outstanding amount of 1.4 million rupees.
Questioning the selective penalization, Maken raised concerns about why only the Congress party was facing such consequences, despite political parties being exempt from income tax.
As the situation escalates, Congress leaders expressed their frustration at being unable to access funds collected from the public and party workers, hindering their election campaign efforts.
Amidst these financial setbacks, Congress leaders also drew attention to the BJP’s significant gains from the now-banned electoral bonds scheme, which had favored the ruling party immensely.
India’s Supreme Court recently deemed the electoral bonds scheme unconstitutional, shedding light on the BJP’s substantial share of the 120 billion rupees worth of bonds donated between 2018 and 2024.
With the upcoming elections looming, the financial constraints imposed on the Congress party could have far-reaching implications on the democratic process, as the party struggles to navigate through a turbulent political landscape.
