New Delhi, Nov 20 : The Congress has again targeted the government on electoral bond scheme alleging that it is nothing less than "money laundering" by the government.
The Congress has also alleged that electoral bond scheme of the Modi government is a modus operandi to receive thousands of crores from big business houses through multiple donations.
The party has alleged that Rs 6,128 crore of electoral bonds have been issued since 2018 in which lion's share has gone to the BJP.
The Congress has targeted the Prime Minister for tweaking rules ahead of the assembly elections in many states, which they allege favour the BJP.
Leader of opposition in the Rajya Sabha, Ghulam Nabi Azad said, "The 'intrigue' and the 'conspiracy' has now indicted the Prime Minister himself because the entire 'fraud' of Electoral Bond Scheme is founded on three principles - the 'Donor' does not need to disclose the source of funds, the Political Party does not need to disclose the name of the 'Donor' and there is no limit on the amount to be donated by the donor to the Political Party."
The party has alleged that as per the documents, the government bypassed RBI and Election commission of India on the issue.
The government wanted to get money for the Karnataka Assembly elections for which the Electoral Bond scheme was initiated, but was rejected by the Secretary, Economic Affairs S C Garg.
Deputy leader of the Congress in the Rajya Sabha, Anand Sharma said, "Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, then directed to violate the Electoral Bond Scheme and opened the same prior to Karnataka elections of May 2018.
Finance Ministry accordingly noted and recorded this direction of the PMO on April 11, 2018 and put up the file again.
The Secretary (Economic Affairs) now took a somersault and overturned his own stance in view of the Prime Minister's directions.
In violation of the Electoral Bond Scheme, he stated that bonds be issued in view of the "requirement" before the Karnataka assembly elections.
The "requirement" was of the Prime Minister and the BJP."
Congress Chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala alleged, "The role and responsibility of the Prime Minister, Narendra Modi is thus writ large.
If Prime Minister of India will be party to opaque, non-transparent, electoral funding from business houses, who will uphold the Constitution and the rule of law?"
Earlier Congress demanded to immediately scrap the scheme.
--IANS
miz/skp/.
Source: IANS
