“A systematic effort to financially cripple the INC”: Congress Leaders Slam BJP and PM Modi for Freezing Bank Accounts, Alleging an Attack on Democracy

Congress on Thursday launched a scathing attack on BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, with Sonia Gandhi accusing the PM of orchestrating a deliberate campaign to “cripple” the Grand Old Party financially. Addressing a press conference, Rahul Gandhi, party president Mallikarjun Kharge, alongside Sonia Gandhi highlighted the gravity of the situation, asserting that the freezing of their bank accounts ahead of the Lok Sabha elections posed significant threats not only to their party but also to the nation's democracy.

“This is not just about the freezing of our bank accounts; it is about the freezing of Indian democracy… As the biggest Opposition party, we cannot do anything. We can’t book advertisements or send our leaders anywhere. What else is that if not freezing of our democracy?” said Rahul Gandhi.

In February, months prior to the Lok Sabha polls, the Congress had disclosed that its bank accounts had been frozen by the Income Tax department over a tax dispute amounting to Rs 210 crore. Sonia Gandhi alleged during Thursday's briefing that funds were being forcibly withdrawn from their bank accounts, highlighting the challenges faced by their campaign efforts amidst such adversities.

“Funds collected from the public are being frozen and money from our accounts is being taken away forcibly. However, even under these most challenging circumstances, we are doing our very best to maintain the effectiveness of our election campaign…This, we all believe, is unprecedented and undemocratic,” said Sonia Gandhi.

Party President Mallickarjun Kharge condemned the situation, labeling it as a "dangerous game" and stressing the necessity for a level playing field in electoral contests. He pointed out at the recent Supreme Court ruling declaring electoral bonds as illegal and unconstitutional, highlighting the disparity in financial resources between the ruling party and the opposition. Kharge underscored the importance of impartiality in elections and demanded unbiased conduct from autonomous bodies such as the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and the Income Tax Department.

"The Supreme Court called electoral bonds illegal and unconstitutional. Under that scheme, the present ruling party filled its accounts with thousands and crores of rupees. On the other hand, under a conspiracy, the bank account of the main opposition party has been frozen. So that, in the absence of funds, there is no level-playing field in contesting the elections," said Mallikarjun Kharge.​