Defence Minister Rajnath Singh voiced his support on Friday for the recent revelation of electoral bonds data, stating that the decision to make the information public was a "well-thought" move aimed at reducing the influence of black money on Indian politics. Soon after praising the development, Singh stated that now that electoral bond data is available, people may demand to know "who voted for whom".
"The decision was taken so that the influence of black money on Indian politics can be minimised to an extent. All the information demanded by the apex court has been provided," Rajnath Singh remarked at the ABP Shikhar Sammelan 2024.
"I believe that besides knowing which party received what amount of money, it's crucial to consider the potential ramifications. Suppose another party comes to power and adopts a 'revengeful' approach, how would they react?" he added.
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'People Might Ask Who Voted For Whom Soon': Rajnath
Responding to questions regarding the transparency of electoral bonds, Singh refrained from commenting on the Supreme Court's verdict. However, he noted the significance of the data's release and suggested that demands for disclosing voter information may arise in the future.
"Now that the data of electoral bonds are out, the demands for the disclosure of who voted for whom may be pushed shortly. If everything is being exposed, this should be exposed too," he stated.
Addressing concerns about a level playing field and the ruling party's influence, Singh said the transparency brought about by the disclosure of electoral bond data. "Now everyone knows which party received how much money. It is clear. It is not confidential anymore," he asserted.
When asked whether he was surprised by the revelation of the electoral bonds data, Singh responded, "No. Not at all."
In response to activist Sonam Wangchuk's allegations regarding confrontations between Indian shepherds in Ladakh and the Chinese army, Singh stated, "This has been happening for the last 50 years. Sometimes they stop our people, sometimes we stop theirs. This has not started during this government's tenure."