Congress' bank accounts frozen ahead of Lok Sabha Elections 2024, alleges Ajay Maken
Congress Treasurer Ajay Maken has revealed that the party's and Youth Congress's bank accounts have been frozen, with the Income Tax department demanding a Rs 210 crore recovery.
FollowCongress leader Ajay Maken on Friday stated that the party's bank accounts had been frozen. This comes a day after the Supreme Court ruled that electoral bonds were 'unconstitutional', a move likely to influence on other parties' fundraising.
During a press conference, he said, "We got information yesterday that banks are not honouring the cheque we are issuing. On further investigation, we got to know that the Youth Congress bank accounts have been frozen."
He further alleged, "The accounts of the Congress party have also been seized. Income tax asked for Rs 210 crore recovery from Youth Congress and Congress party. The crowdfunding money in our accounts has been frozen. Just 2 weeks before elections when the opposition's accounts are frozen, it is equivalent to freezing the democracy."
"Democracy doesn't exist; this is like a one-rule party, and the principal opposition party has been subjugated. We seek justice from the judiciary, media, and the people," Maken said.
The party learned about the freezing of its accounts yesterday, and the party's lawyer Vivek Tankha said that a total of four accounts have been affected. Banks have been instructed not to accept or honour Congress' cheques, with the frozen funds to be submitted to the Income Tax department.
Maken claimed that in the election year of 2018-19, the party submitted its accounts 45 days late, but freezing the accounts is an extreme measure.
Meanwhile, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge accused the central government of freezing the party's bank accounts. "Power drunk Modi Govt has frozen the accounts of the country’s largest Opposition party - the Indian National Congress - just before the Lok Sabha elections. This is a deep assault on India's Democracy!" Kharge posted on X.
The development comes just months ahead of the Lok Sabha polls, and a day after the Supreme Court scrapped the Centre's electoral bonds scheme of anonymous political funding, calling it "unconstitutional".
