The Congress on Thursday launched a fresh attack against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, with former Congress chief Sonia Gandhi saying that the PM was making “a systematic effort to cripple the Congress financially.”
While addressing a press briefing, senior leaders Sonia and Rahul Gandhi and party chief Mallikarjun Kharge spoke about the freezing of their bank accounts ahead of the Lok Sabha elections.
The issue was extremely serious with “far-reaching consequences for not just their party but for our country’s democracy,” the leaders said.
Sonia Gandhi alleged that money was being forcibly taken from their bank accounts. “Even under these challenges we are doing our best to maintain effectiveness of our campaign,” the leader added.
“This is not just about the freezing of our bank accounts, its 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.
Last month, Congress had announced that its bank accounts had been frozen by the Income Tax department in connection with a dispute over a tax demand of Rs 210 crore.
“Don’t want to mention how the BJP took money from some companies. As the Supreme Court is probing the matter, I hope the truth will be before us soon. I appeal to the Constitutional institutions that if they want free and fair elections, then they should allow us to freely access our bank accounts. No political party comes under the purview of Income Tax Department,” said Kharge.
 and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, with former Congress chief Sonia Gandhi saying that the PM was making “a systematic effort to cripple the Congress financially.”){kind=link}