'Undemocratic': Finances Of Principal Oppn Party Under Assault, Says Sonia Gandhi Ahead Of Polls

The Congress top brass held a press conference on Thursday saying that its bank accounts were freezed.

Congress top brass holds press conference on Thursday

Source : X/@INCIndia

The Congress party on Thursday trained guns on the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party over the freezing of its bank accounts saying that the saffron party received the highest amount of donation through electoral bonds but froze the bank accounts related to Congress. Addressing a press conference, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge said that it was a dangerous game and demanded a "level playing field". 

Party leader Sonia Gandhi said that a "systematic effort" was underway by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to "cripple" Congress. Calling it undemocratic, Sonia said, "Finances of the principal opposition party are under undetermined assault."  

Explaining the details, Ajay Maken said that the party has been served two notices by the Income Tax Department for two separate cases pertaining to the assessment years 2017-18 and 1994-95.  

LIVE: Press briefing by CPP Chairperson Smt. Sonia Gandhi ji, Congress President Shri @kharge and Shri @RahulGandhi at AICC HQ. https://t.co/ZfYNcfWjbf

— Congress (@INCIndia) March 21, 2024

"Quantum of punishment is such that for .07 per cent discrepancy 106 per cent penalty imposed on Congress," he added. 

Maken claimed that the Income Tax officers went to the managers of those banks where the party has its accounts and forcibly transferred around Rs 115 crore from the party's account to the Income Tax department. 

Questioning the timing of such an action, he said, "This is not just an attack on accounts of Congress party by the Narendra Modi government but also an attack on democracy in India...Every political party is exempted from income tax. So why is Congress being penalised and that too just before elections." 

Targeting the saffron party, Rahul Gandhi said this is not the freezing of the Congress party's bank accounts but the "freezing of Indian democracy." 

"As the biggest opposition party, we are unable to take any action - we can't book advertisements or send our leaders anywhere. This is an assault on democracy," he added.