India’s Congress Party slams government over severe financial restrictions

India’s main opposition Congress Party has alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has deliberately weakened it ahead of the upcoming general elections by suspending its accounts in an income tax investigation.

Former Congress chief Rahul Gandhi on Thursday told reporters in New Delhi the party is unable to campaign properly with its accounts frozen by the income tax department.

“Our entire financial identity has been erased,” said Gandhi, 53, the scion of the family that dominated Indian politics for decades after independence.

“We have no money to campaign, we cannot support our candidates. Our ability to fight elections has been damaged.”

“20 percent of India votes for us and we can’t even pay two rupees for anything. It has been orchestrated to cripple us in the elections,” Gandhi said at a press conference.

In a scathing attack, former Congress president Sonia Gandhi and the mother of Rahul accused Modi of carrying out “a systematic effort to financially cripple the party” in the wake of the account freeze by the Income Tax (IT) department.

“The finances of the principal opposition party, are under a determined assault. This, we all believe, is unprecedented and undemocratic,” Sonia said.

“The issue we are taking up today is extremely serious. This issue affects not just the Indian National Congress, but our democracy itself, most fundamentally.”

“A systematic effort is underway by the Prime Minister to cripple the Indian National Congress financially. Funds collected from the public are being frozen and money from our accounts is being taken away forcibly,” Sonia Gandhi said.

A portion of Congress Party’s bank accounts was frozen last month in connection with a tax case from 2018-19. Despite their appeal being dismissed by a tax tribunal earlier this month, the party continues to face the recovery of about $16.32 million in income tax from its accounts.

India's main opposition says bank accounts frozen ahead of elections

India’s main opposition the Congress party says its bank accounts have been frozen by the income tax department weeks before the expected announcement of national elections.

Congress leader Ajay Maken said the “assault” on the party’s bank accounts was an attack on democracy.

“If the principal opposition party is completely financially crippled and can't spend on publicity, on its campaign and can't give money to its candidates, then why are the elections being held.”

Maken said $7.8 million had been withdrawn by the tax department from three of the accounts even though a petition against the claim was being heard by the Income Tax Appellate Tribunal.

Rahul Gandhi also said the assertion that India is a democracy is a “lie.”

“No court is saying anything, the Election Commission is silent, no other institution is saying anything, and the media is not saying anything.”

“There is no democracy in India today. The people of India are being robbed of their constitution and democratic structure.”

The recent official financial reports submitted to the election commission of India revealed the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)’s funds exceed those of Congress by almost tenfold.

Elections in India will be conducted in seven phases starting from April 19 and ending on June 1.

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