The Electoral Commission's recent release of electoral data has sparked immediate reactions from political circles, with the Congress party swiftly delving into the disclosed bond data made public by the State Bank of India.
Jairam Ramesh, Congress's general secretary, reiterated the party's call for distinct bond ID numbers to facilitate accurate tracking of donors and recipients. Ramesh shared his initial observations on the Electoral Bonds data in a post on X, pointing out the delayed release despite attempts to postpone it until after the election.
Taking aim at the BJP, the Congress party, in a long X post in Hindi, disclosed that over 1,300 companies and individuals have contributed more than 6,000 crores to the saffron party through electoral bonds since 2019.
Congress identified four alleged corrupt practices of the BJP across various categories: Quid Pro Quo, Hafta Vasooli, Kickbacks, and Money Laundering Through Shell Companies.
Here's How Congress Reacted:
In line with this stance, Congress leader Manickam Tagore also commented on the delayed disclosure of Electoral Bond data, stating, "The BJP attempted to postpone the disclosure, but a Supreme Court order compelled the revelation. This disclosure indicates a clear pattern: among the 1,300 companies purchasing electoral bonds, 6,000 crores have flowed to the BJP. The consistency in donations suggests foul play. The companies making donations seem to receive projects in return".
Tagore also addressed the issue of election commissioners' appointments, alleging interference by the ruling party. "The Election Commission previously had independent commissioners. However, since the rise of PM Modi and Amit Shah in Delhi, there have been attempts to influence the commission by appointing loyalists," he told ANI.