Congress leader Rahul Gandhi hit out at the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led BJP government at the Centre, as well as India's democratic institutions after the Income Tax Department froze the party's bank accounts.
Addressing a press conference along with Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge and former chief Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi said the party's financial identity was “erased” by the I-T action.
“This has been done literally two months before the election. One notice comes from the 90s, one from six-seven years ago. Quantum amount? ₹14 lakh. And punishment? Our entire financial identity," Rahul said, adding that, "Our ability to fight the election has been damaged."
Despite the 20% vote share the Congress enjoys in the country, Rahul said, "Today we can't buy a railway ticket, or send our leaders from one city to another. We can't advertise."
The Congress leader questioned the Rs 200 crore tax demand and the freezing of bank accounts, saying, the I-T Act prescribes a maximum fine of Rs 10,000.
According to Rahul Gandhi, this is not a freezing of the Congress' accounts but a freezing of Indian democracy. "There is no democracy in India today and the idea that India is the world’s largest democracy is a complete lie," Rahul Gandhi alleged.
"There are institutions that are supposed to protect the democratic framework but nothing is happening," he said.
"This is a criminal action on the Congress party and this a criminal action done by the Prime Minister and the Home minister, it is very clear. This type of activity does not happen without them in today's India... This has been orchestrated to cripple us in the elections. And no court is saying anything. The Election Commission isn't saying anything. No institution is saying anything," he claimed.