Sonia Gandhi, Chairperson of Congress Parliamentary Party (CPP), has alleged Prime Minister Narendra Modi of initiating a systematic effort to “cripple” the Congress Party financially. She said this at a press briefing today to address the freezing of all Congress bank accounts by Income Tax Department ahead of the General Elections 2024.
Gandhi said that the Party was doing its best “to maintain the effectiveness of our election campaign” despite its funds being frozen. She stated that it is “unprecedented and undemocratic” for the BJP to have benefitted “hugely and massively” from the now scrapped electoral bonds while the finances if the principal opposition party is under “determined assault”.
Speaking at the press conference, Kharge stated, “free and fair elections cannot be held by making any political party helpless”, adding that the BJP was playing a dangerous game played by the “to end the level playing field.”
“Due to lack of money we are not able to contest elections equally,” Kharge sand appealed to the constitutional institutions that “if they want free and fair elections, then let our party use bank accounts without any restriction.”
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi reiterated that the fund crunch is hampering the campaign work. “We cannot support our workers and candidates. Our leaders cannot travel from one part of the country to the other. We’re unable to put out our ads. This is being done two months before the election campaign”, he said.
He rued the silence of courts, the Election Commission, institutions that are supposed “to protect the democratic framework” and the media on this matter. “There is no democracy in India today”, he said, adding that people are being robbed of their Constitution and democratic structure.
The Income Tax Department had issued another notice on 14th March 2024 to the Congress party to reopen assessment of the Financial Year 1994-95.
Read more: Congress demands inquiry on electoral bonds, immediate freezing of BJP’s accounts
