The announcement made by the Congress today reveals that the bank accounts of the party, including those of the Youth Congress, have been frozen by the Income Tax department. This action has been taken weeks before the announcement of the general election dates. Ajay Maken, the party treasurer, expressed his concern over this move, describing it as a detrimental blow to the democratic process. The freeze is said to be a result of a tax demand of ₹ 210 crore imposed by the Income Tax department. The Congress alleges that this action is politically motivated and strategically timed to disrupt the party’s election preparations.
Mr. Maken emphasized the gravity of the situation, stating that democracy seems to be nonexistent and that the principal opposition party has been suppressed. He called for justice from the judiciary, media, and the people. The Congress leader also mentioned that the party has taken legal action in response to the freeze, and the matter is currently being considered by the income tax appellate tribunal. The decision to not disclose this information earlier was made due to the pending hearing.
सत्ता के नशे में चूर, मोदी सरकार ने लोक सभा चुनाव के ठीक पहले देश की सबसे बड़ी विपक्षी पार्टी – भारतीय राष्ट्रीय कांग्रेस – के Accounts Frozen कर दिए है।
— Mallikarjun Kharge (@kharge) February 16, 2024
ये लोकतंत्र पर गहरा आघात है।
भाजपा ने जो असंवैधानिक धन इकट्ठा किया है, उसका इस्तेमाल वे चुनाव में करेंगे, लेकिन हमने…
Yesterday, the party became aware of the freezing of its accounts. Vivek Tankha, the party’s lawyer, confirmed that a total of four accounts have been affected. Banks have been instructed not to accept or honor Congress’ cheques, and the frozen funds will be handed over to the Income Tax department.
Mr. Maken argued that although the party submitted its accounts 45 days late in the election year of 2018-19, freezing the accounts is an extreme measure. He pointed out that there have been instances where such actions were not taken, citing examples and precedents. “We have provided the names of all MLAs and MPs who have made contributions, based on the Manmohan Singh committee report,” Mr. Maken added.
The timing of the freeze, just before the crucial general elections, has raised suspicions about the motives behind the actions of the Income Tax department, according to the Congress leader.
Currently, we are facing a financial constraint as we do not have any funds available. This has affected various aspects such as electricity bills, staff salaries, and even our Nyay yatra. The timing of this situation is quite evident and concerning,” he expressed. “We only have one PAN, and all four accounts are interconnected.”
Mallikarjun Kharge, the president of our party, expressed his concerns by stating, “The Modi government, driven by power, has taken the extreme step of freezing the accounts of the Indian National Congress, the largest opposition party, just before the Lok Sabha elections. This is a severe blow to democracy.”
He further added, “The BJP has unlawfully collected funds which will be utilized in the elections, while the money we have gathered through crowdfunding will be inaccessible. This is why we have emphasized that there will be no fair elections in the future! We urge the judiciary to safeguard the multi-party system in our country and protect India’s democracy. We will take to the streets and vehemently fight against this injustice and dictatorship,” he posted on X.
Furthermore, the freezing of the bank accounts coincides with the Supreme Court’s landmark decision to strike down the electoral bonds scheme. The government introduced this scheme on January 2, 2018, as a means to replace cash donations and enhance transparency in political funding.
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