Congress receives relief as 'frozen' bank accounts are reactivated
PTC News Desk: The Congress party encountered a swift reversal of fortune today as its bank accounts, including those linked to the Youth Congress, which were reportedly frozen by the Income Tax department, were promptly reinstated. This reversal occurred just an hour after the Congress revealed the account freeze and filed an appeal with the Income Tax Appellate Tribunal (ITAT) in Delhi.
Addressing the media earlier, party treasurer Ajay Maken expressed dismay, describing the initial freeze as a "disturbing blow to the democratic process." The freeze, reportedly tied to a tax demand of Rs 210 crore from the Income Tax department, was seen by the Congress as politically motivated, strategically timed to disrupt the party's election preparations.
सत्ता के नशे में चूर, मोदी सरकार ने लोक सभा चुनाव के ठीक पहले देश की सबसे बड़ी विपक्षी पार्टी - भारतीय राष्ट्रीय कांग्रेस - के Accounts Frozen कर दिए है।
ये लोकतंत्र पर गहरा आघात है।
भाजपा ने जो असंवैधानिक धन इकट्ठा किया है, उसका इस्तेमाल वे चुनाव में करेंगे, लेकिन हमने… — Mallikarjun Kharge (@kharge) February 16, 2024
Maken emphasised the severity of the situation, asserting, "Democracy doesn't exist; this is like a one-rule party, and the principal opposition party has been subjugated. We seek justice from the judiciary, media, and the people."
He disclosed that legal steps were promptly initiated by the party upon learning of the account freeze, with the matter now before the income tax appellate tribunal. Maken clarified that the delay in disclosing the information was due to the pending hearing. According to Vivek Tankha, the party's lawyer, a total of four accounts were impacted, with banks instructed not to accept or honor Congress' cheques while the funds remained frozen for submission to the Income Tax department.
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Maken raised concerns over the timing of the freeze, particularly given its proximity to the upcoming general elections, insinuating ulterior motives behind the Income Tax department's actions. Kharge, the party president, echoed these sentiments, condemning the Modi government's actions as a severe threat to democracy. He called upon the judiciary to safeguard India's democratic principles and pledged the Congress's unwavering commitment to challenging what they perceived as unjust treatment.
This development follows closely on the heels of a significant Supreme Court ruling, which struck down the electoral bonds scheme introduced by the government in 2018. The electoral bonds scheme had aimed to replace cash donations and enhance transparency in political funding but was met with criticism and legal challenges.
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(Inputs from agencies)
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