Congress accuses IT department of double standards after receiving notice for fresh tax demand

Congress on Friday (Mar 29) accused the Income Tax Department of double standards alleging that it penalised the grand old party over a violation of Rs 14 lakh (16,789 USD) but was silent at the time the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) made a violation of Rs 42 crore (50,36,997 USD) that entailed a penalty of Rs 4,600 crore (5,51,671 USD).

While addressing a press conference, Congress leaders Jairam Ramesh and Ajay Maken alleged that the ruling party at the Centre was making attempts to stifle the grand old party financially ahead of the Lok Sabha polls.

Maken further stated that it was the Election Commission's responsibility to ensure fair play during the elections.

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"We have received notices from the time of Sitaram Kesari, from 1993-94... We have been demanded to pay Rs 53 crores from the time of Sitaram Kesari. A total of Rs 1823 crores has been made by the IT department from Congress," he said.

"We have analysed all violations of the BJP using the same parameters they used to analyse our violations... BJP has a penalty of Rs 4600 crore. The income Tax department should raise a demand from the BJP for the payment of this amount," he added.

Maken alleged that the saffron party was making efforts to weaken the Congress financially by freezing their bank accounts ahead of Lok Sabha polls.

"Our analysis reveals that out of the 1,297 individuals who donated to the BJP, their identities remain undisclosed with no addresses or evidence of contribution totalling Rs 42 crore, indicating a blatant breach of regulations. Additionally, there are 92 individuals whose names are absent from the list but they provided electoral bonds to the BJP," he said.

The Congress leaders also hit out at BJP over the electoral bond scheme.

Ramesh accused the BJP of "hypocrisy" and its government of resorting to "tax terrorism".

"Through the electoral bond scam, the BJP collected over Rs 8,200 crore as donations. There were different routes, there was a prepaid bribe route, there was post-paid bribe route, there was post raid group 'chanda-dhandha, raid-paid', and there was a shell company route," alleged Ramesh.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi took to his official X account and stated that his party would take stern action against the ones attempting to "disintegrate democracy".

"When the government changes, action will definitely be taken against those who 'disintegrate democracy'! And such action will be taken that no one will have the courage to do all this again. This is my guarantee," he said in a post on X.

Venugopal accuses EC of being mute spectator

Party leader KC Venugopal further accused the Election Commission of being a mute spectator.

"Notice, account freeze, notice, account freeze. That is the BJP's modus operandi of stifling INC financially. In a new bizarre notice, a penalty of Rs. 1800 crore has been imposed on INC. Is this how a fair election is supposed to be conducted? Is the idea of a level playing field only on paper? Why is the Election Commission a mute spectator to this?" he asked.

"If the same treatment was meted out to the BJP, they should have to pay Rs. 4600 crore. But has there been any action on them? Have any of the authorities involved moved an inch against them? This is a blatant murder of democracy and we will protest across the country against this illegal action," he added.

(With inputs from agencies)