Cong dubs electoral bonds scheme as independent India's biggest scam : Kharge seeks freezing of BJP’s accounts, special probe

It was the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party’s way of “recovery” using the threat of probe agencies and also exhibits its “chanda do, dhanda lo” policy (contracts in return for funds), Ramesh alleged.

PTI, Palghar, Mar 15, 2024 :  Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh on Friday described the electoral bonds scheme as the “biggest scam of independent India”, and said the data shared by the Election Commission (EC) on it was “incomplete”.

It was the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party’s way of “recovery” using the threat of probe agencies and also exhibits its “chanda do, dhanda lo” policy (contracts in return for funds), Ramesh alleged.

He also said the Congress was not against the electronic voting machines (EVMs), but wants the use of voter verifiable paper audit trail (VVPAT) in the poll process to ensure that voters know their vote was cast correctly.

Addressing a press conference at Wada in Maharashtra’s Palghar district, Ramesh said his party has been seeking an appointment with the ECI since last year, but have not been given an audience yet with the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC).

“Why and of whom is the ECI scared to meet opposition parties,” the former Union minister asked.

Referring to the electoral bonds data published on the Election Commission’s website, Ramesh said the details were incomplete.

“There are four categories in the list – those who purchased the electoral bonds and got government contracts, those who purchased bonds due to threat of investigating agencies, those who purchased bonds as bribe to get contracts and purchasing through shell companies,” he said.

“This is the biggest scam of independent India. We have the option to move the Supreme Court…We will go to the people’s court,” he said.

Ramesh said the Supreme Court’s directive earlier in the day on the scheme will pave the way for information on which party benefitted from these bonds.

The apex court on Friday said the State Bank of India is “duty bound” and has to disclose the unique alpha numeric numbers of the electoral bonds received by political parties.

Ramesh made the remarks a day after the EC put up the data on electoral bonds on its website.

From steel tycoon Lakshmi Mittal to billionaire Sunil Bharti Mittal’s Airtel, Anil Agarwal’s Vedanta, ITC, Mahindra and Mahindra, and a lesser-known company – Future Gaming and Hotel Services – were among the prominent buyers of the now-scrapped electoral bonds for making political donations.

The State Bank of India (SBI), which was the authorised seller of electoral bonds, has said in its data that a total of 22,217 electoral bonds of varying denominations were purchased by donors between April 1, 2019 and February 15 this year, out of which 22,030 were redeemed by political parties.

Speaking about the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra, Ramesh said it was an important way of communicating the Congress’ ideology to the public and also creating enthusiasm among party functionaries.

“The ideology of hate is being answered with five years, five justices, 25 guarantees. The Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra will be transformative for the future of the country,” Ramesh asserted. 

Congress President M Mallikarjun Kharge on Friday demanded a special investigation into the electoral bonds scheme -- through which the BJP has received Rs 6,060 crore over five years -- and said the party's bank accounts should be frozen till its completion.

Claiming that there were many dubious donors, he said people who have purchased such bonds were either involved in ED or Income Tax cases, or raided by these agencies.

While the BJP has collected crores of rupees in electoral bonds, the bank account of the Congress, which received donations, was frozen, Kharge said.

"The Prime Minister says 'Na khaunga, na khane dunga (Will not eat, will not let others eat)', but today it has been exposed by the Supreme Court how the BJP has made money out of electoral bonds. SBI data shows BJP got 50 per cent donations and Congress got only 11 per cent," he said. Speaking to reporters here, he said, "Even our voter pattern (percentage) if you see we are nearly one third and rest of the people are two-third including BJP, but in donations they got more than 50 per cent. How can they get this much money? How can the capitalist or other companies give such donations?"

"Who are they? People who have donated, either they are involved in ED case, Income Tax, or raided by these agencies. Ultimately the Government of India, particularly (Narendra) Modi and his party pressured these people to give more donations to their party. Otherwise this much of a difference cannot be there," he alleged.

Noting that the Congress's bank accounts were frozen due to which they cannot be operated, Kharge said, "IT (Income-Tax department) was instructed to do this and nearly Rs 300 crore is frozen."

"How can we go to the election? You are collecting crores of rupees through electoral bonds, while Congress got through donations from workers, MPs and other small donors. Our account is closed, their account is open. They got Rs 6,000 crore, while others got very little," he said. "If the opposition party's account is frozen, how will they fight the election," Kharge further asked. "Where is the level playing ground?" "Therefore I demand an inquiry at the highest level and unless the truth comes out, their (BJP) account should also be frozen. A special investigation should be done to find out whether they got money in return for any favours or through harassment or asking for donations for their cases to be closed," he said.

Those who faced ED and IT raids have gone to the BJP and got (party) posts there, Kharge further alleged, adding, "They have become immediately 'clean' in BJP."

Stating that the PM should be held accountable as he is the "main man", the AICC chief said, he always claims this is Modi's government, Modi's party and Modi's guarantee. "Everything is in his name, he never says BJP...." He also alleged that Modi wants to "kill" opposition parties, as he doesn't want them to thrive in democracy. Asked whether Congress will move the Supreme Court to block the BJP's account, Kharge said, "I'm now demanding an inquiry. The next course of action we will take. Our party is going to meet. The Working Committee (of Congress) is going to meet shortly, there I can discuss. I'm not Modi, I have to consult."

To a question whether Congress will demand that elections be deferred pending inquiry, the Congress President said, that cannot be done. Congress Treasurer Ajay Maken said a total 22,217 bonds were issued since the scheme was launched in 2018, but the details on the Election Commission's website are only in respect of 18,871 of them, and those pertaining to the remaining 3,346 are not available, and SBI has not shared them.

"These 3,346 bonds, the total amount pertains to is Rs 2,500 crore. So whom the Modi government and the SBI are trying to shield?," he asked, as demanded that the investigation has to be conducted directly under the supervision of the Supreme Court.