In a significant pre-election development, the Congress has revealed that their bank accounts, as well as those of the Youth Congress, have been frozen by the Income Tax department. The freeze comes at a critical time, just weeks before the election dates are set to be announced, causing concern about the potential impact on the party's campaigning efforts.
According to Congress treasurer Ajay Maken, the action represents a severe setback for democratic processes in India. The tax authorities have raised a demand of Rs 210 crore, but the Congress is denouncing this as a political tactic aimed at weakening their election readiness.
Maken expressed grave concern about the state of democracy, likening the current scenario to a one-party rule and asserting that the principal opposition party is being oppressed by this move.
"The Congress bank accounts frozen on I-T demand of Rs 210 crore for 2018-19. Four main bank accounts of Congress were frozen on flimsy grounds. For the first time in the country's history, accounts of the principal opposition party have been frozen by the tax authorities on flimsy grounds, barely two weeks before the announcement of general election," Maken said.
He appealed to the judiciary to save democracy as it was in danger and said the country is headed towards one-party democracy. Maken said the party has already appealed to the Income Tax appellate authority.
