NEW DELHI: India’s main opposition party, the Indian National Congress, revealed on Friday that the government had frozen its bank accounts just weeks before the country’s general elections.
Ajay Maken, Congress Treasurer, informed reporters that the Income Tax Department had seized the party’s accounts as part of an investigation into tax filings for the financial year 2018-19. A payment demand of 2.1 billion rupees ($25.3 million) was issued in relation to the probe.
While admitting that the party had filed its return 45 days late, Maken criticized the timing of the move, stating it was unwarranted so close to elections. He emphasized the significance of the opposition’s financial autonomy, stating that freezing their accounts equates to freezing democracy itself.
Following a temporary access grant to funds by an income tax tribunal later on Friday, over $10.3 million remained frozen, significantly impacting the party’s operations. This includes hindrances to planned activities like the “Unite India” march, spanning 6,700 km across the country, initiated by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi in a bid to challenge Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s third-term bid.
Gandhi, part of the Nehru-Gandhi dynasty synonymous with Indian politics, has been a prominent opponent to Modi’s rule. His political journey has faced obstacles, including a conviction for defamation against Modi and temporary exclusion from parliament, only reinstated after Supreme Court intervention.
