New Delhi: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Thursday lashed out at the Centre and asserted that there is "no democracy" in India today, alleging that the idea that India is a democracy is a lie.
Addressing a press conference in Delhi, Rahul Gandhi claimed that all Congress' bank accounts have been frozen, the party can do no campaign work, cannot support party workers, and cannot support party candidates.
The Congress MP asserted that by blocking the accounts of the largest opposition party the BJP had caused great damage to Indian democracy.
"This is a criminal action on the Congress party, a criminal action done by the Prime Minister and the Home Minister. So, the idea that India is a democracy is a lie. There is no democracy in India today. The idea that India is the world's largest democracy is a lie.
A complete lie," he said. "20 per cent of India votes for us and we are not able to pay Rs 2 for anything. It has been orchestrated to cripple us in the elections. Even if our bank accounts are unfrozen today, huge amount of debt damage has been done to Indian democracy," he added.
"All our bank accounts have been frozen. We can do no campaign work, we cannot support our workers, we cannot support our candidates. This has been done two months before the election campaign.
One notice comes from the 90s, another from 6-7 years back. Quantum amount is Rs 14 lakhs and punishment - our entire financial identity.
All the institutions are quiet and the Election Commission has not even said anything," he added.He further said that the party has already lost a month fighting the IT case and its ability to fight elections has been damaged.
"This is not freezing of Congress party's bank accounts; this is the freezing of Indian democracy. As the biggest opposition party, we are unable to take any action - we can't book advertisements or send our leaders anywhere.
This is an assault on democracy," he added Rahul Gandhi said that there is an Election Commission in the country but it has not even said anything. "What's interesting to me is that there are institutions in this country that are supposed to protect the democratic framework.
Earlier, speaking about Electoral Bonds, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge said, "The Supreme Court called Electoral Bonds illegal and unconstitutional.
Under that scheme, the present ruling party filled its accounts with thousands and crores of rupees. On the other
hand, under a conspiracy, the bank account of the main opposition party has been frozen.
So that, in the absence of funds, there is no level-playing field in contesting the elections." Kharge further said, "This is a dangerous game by the ruling party, which will have a far- reaching impact. If democracy in this country has to be saved, there has to be a level-playing ground."
Congress Parliamentary Party Chairperson Sonia Gandhi alleged that a "systematic effort" is underway by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to "cripple" the Indian National Congress financially, while calling it "unprecedented and undemocratic."
At a press conference accompanied by Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge and senior party leader Rahul Gandhi, Sonia Gandhi said, "This issue affects not just the Congress, it impacts our democracy itself most fundamentally. A systematic effort is underway by the Prime Minister to cripple the Indian National Congress financially." (with Agency inputs)
