The main opposition party in India, Congress, alleges that the income tax department has frozen its bank accounts, just months before the nation is set to hold general elections.
Congress later stated that income tax officials granted them access to funds in the accounts pending a court hearing.
Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge condemned the freezing of funds as an “assault on democracy.”
However, neither the government nor the income tax department has responded to these allegations.
According to Congress leader Ajay Maken, the party was notified two days prior that the cheques it issued were being rejected by banks.
Upon investigation, it was discovered that “all its accounts had been frozen.”
Maken explained that the funds in the party’s accounts were sourced from online crowdfunding, while the accounts of its youth wing, the Indian Youth Congress, received money from membership fees.
He lamented the impact of the frozen accounts, stating, “We don’t have any money to spend, to pay electricity bills, to pay salaries to our employees,” indicating that all political activities of the party would be affected.
The action was reportedly taken due to a 45-day delay in filing income tax returns for the party’s 2018-2019 fiscal year.
Additionally, Congress has been asked by the IT department to pay 2.1 billion rupees ($25 million) as a “recovery” amount.
Congress leader Vivek Tankha has announced that the party’s appeal for interim relief from the IT department’s action will be heard in court on Wednesday.
Critics have accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of using state machinery to target opposition leaders ahead of the elections.
However, both Modi and the BJP have denied these allegations.
Source-BBC
