Rahul Gandhi attacks Centre, says, 'Congress bank accounts frozen, can't campaign'

With just weeks before the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Thursday slammed the Narendra Modi-led central government and said that his party's bank accounts had been frozen and they had no money to do campaign work.

“All our bank accounts have been frozen. We can do no campaign work, we cannot support our workers, we cannot support our candidates,” Rahul said at a press conference attended by Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and Chairperson of Congress Parliamentary Party Sonia Gandhi among others.

“One notice comes from the 90s, another from 6-7 years ago. Quantum amount ₹14 lakh and punishment - our entire financial identity... The Election Commission has not said anything... Already, our ability to fight elections has been damaged, we have already lost a month,” he said.

The Wayanad MP claimed that this criminal action on the Congress had been done by the Prime Minister and Union 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. 20% of India votes for us and we are not able to pay ₹2 for anything,” Rahul said.

He added that this has been orchestrated to cripple the party in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

He further alleged that this not just freezing the Congress party's bank accounts, but the “freezing of Indian democracy.”

Being the biggest Opposition party in the country, Congress is unable to take action, he said and added, “We cannot book advertisements or send our leaders anywhere... We can’t afford train tickets to send our leaders to campaign... This is an assault on democracy.”

While attacking the Centre over the issue of freezing of Congress' accounts due to an Income Tax returns issue, Sonia Gandhi accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of crippling the grand old party financially and demanded that it should be given access to all its bank accounts to ensure a level playing field in the run-up to the 2024 general elections.

She said the money was being taken away from Congress' accounts forcefully. “Systematic effort is underway by the prime minister to cripple the Congress financially,” she added.

Meanwhile, the BJP on Thursday dismissed the Congress' attack on the government over freezing its bank accounts as the opposition party's 'desperate' attempt to create an alibi for its imminent defeat in the Lok Sabha polls, reports PTI.

BJP leader and former Union minister Ravi Shankar Prasad accused former Congress president Rahul Gandhi of lying on the issue and also targeted Sonia Gandhi, saying both of them shamed Indian democracy globally with their "irresponsible" comments.

Prasad said the Congress did not file income tax returns in time, leading to the freezing of its accounts.

The opposition party did not get any judicial relief and has now gone to the Supreme Court, he said, accusing Congress leaders of lying over the issue. He said the Congress was even pulled up by high court over the issue.

Last week, the Election Commission announced the schedule for the 2024 general elections, which will be held in seven phases from April 19 to June 1. The counting of votes will take place on June 4.