New Delhi: The Congress party hailed the Supreme Court's decision to dismiss the State Bank of India's (SBI) plea seeking an extension of time in the electoral bonds issue, asserting that it is a victory for democracy and transparency. The apex court ordered the SBI to disclose the details of electoral bonds to the Election Commission by March 12 and publish the information by March 15.
The Congress lauded the Supreme Court's intervention in protecting democracy from what it called the "devious machinations" of the current regime. Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge alleged that the government's attempt to delay the disclosure of electoral bond details exposed its intent to conceal its actions.
Kharge stated, "With the Supreme Court's decision, the country will soon come to know who donated to the BJP through electoral bonds. This is the first step in exposing the corruption, scams, and transactions of the Modi government."
"Even now the country will not know for which contracts the selected capitalist fund holders of BJP were giving donations to the Modi government, for that the Honorable Supreme Court should give appropriate instructions. Media reports have revealed how BJP used to extort donations by conducting ED-CBI-IT raids. The Supreme Court's decision is a victory for transparency, accountability, and level playing field in democracy," he remarked in a Hindi post.
Former Congress President Rahul Gandhi criticised the government over the electoral bonds issue, asserting that it would reveal the true nature of the nexus between corrupt industrialists and the government. He accused the government of favouring donors and burdening the general public with taxes.
"The government that came to power by promising to bring back black money from Swiss banks in 100 days, stood on its head in the Supreme Court for hiding the data of its own bank," he alleged.
Gandhi further remarked, "Electoral Bonds will prove to be the biggest scam in Indian history and will reveal the real face of Narendra Modi in front of the country. The chronology is clear - Donate - take business Donate-Take Protection! Shower of blessings on those who donate and tax burden on the general public, this is the Modi government of BJP."
Senior Congress leader P Chidambaram commented on the Supreme Court's order, describing it as a "tight slap" on the SBI for defying its earlier judgment. Chidambaram expressed regret for the SBI's actions, stating that the order provides the bank with an opportunity to rectify its mistake.
"This was a self-inflicted stain The order of the Supreme Court today gives an opportunity to SBI to wipe the stain and redeem itself I am sorry for the Chairman of SBI and the fine band of officers that they placed themselves in this situation," he wrote.
Congress MP Karti Chidambaram also lauded the apex court directive as he told news agency ANI, " SBI should have never filed an application asking for an extension in time. I am glad that the Supreme Court has thrown their application and asked them to make full disclosure by tomorrow. The people of India have the right to know who purchased the electoral bond, who are the beneficiaries, and whether any quid pro quo has been given by the govt to anyone who contributed to them..."
Supreme Court's Stern Warning To SBI Over Electoral Bond Details
The Supreme Court bench, comprising Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud and four other justices, warned the SBI of potential contempt proceedings if it failed to comply with the court's directions. ALSO READ | SC Gives SBI A Day To Furnish Electoral Bonds Data, Warns Of Contempt Proceedings On Non-Compliance
In a landmark verdict on February 15, the Supreme Court declared the Centre's electoral bonds scheme unconstitutional and ordered the disclosure of donors, recipients, and amounts donated by March 13. The court directed the SBI to provide details of electoral bonds purchased since April 12, 2019, to the Election Commission.
The SBI's plea seeking an extension of time till June 30 to furnish the details was dismissed by the Supreme Court, which observed that the information was readily available and any delay would be unacceptable.
The Congress and other opposition parties have long been critical of the electoral bonds scheme, alleging that it allows for anonymous political funding and undermines transparency in the electoral process.