New Delhi : Alleging tax terrorism and apprehending that no free and fair elections were possible in the country under current circumstances, the Congress today lashed out at the Income Tax department for its blatant and partisan misuse of power by selectively targeting the Congress party in the midst of General Elections.
The party leaders revealed that the IT had only yesterday raised a fresh demand of Rs 1823 crores from the party for the donations spread over a period of about 30 years, from 1993 to 2019. This period includes the time when late Sitaram Kesri was the party treasurer.
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge said that the Income Tax department had overlooked ₹4,600 Cr penalty for BJP’s ₹42 Cr unaccounted deposits, while ₹135 Cr penalty was imposed on Congress for ₹14 lakh cash deposits by MLAs and MPs.
“Who is pressurising the Income Tax Department to act in this unjustified manner only against the Opposition?”, he asked and added, “why is the IT department being allowed to be used as a weapon to harass the principal opposition party, the Congress”.
Addressing a press conference at the AICC headquarters here today, the Congress treasurer Ajay Maken along with general secretary in charge communications Jairam Ramesh and spokesperson Pawan Khera, disclosed that yesterday, Congress party received fresh notices from the IT department to pay Rs 1823.08 crores. This is in addition to the Rs 135 crores which the IT department has already taken away forcibly from Congress bank account, he added. “This is tax terrorism”, remarked Jairam Ramesh.
The Congress treasurer revealed detailed figures procured from the Election Commission of India website which clearly show how the BJP has violated the Income Tax guidelines which make it liable to pay Rs 4600 crore as penalty.
He pointed out, the Congress had been imposed with a severe penalty of Rs 135 crores for a violation of Rs 14 lakhs. He said this amount was raised in a transparent manner and had been donated in cash by the party’s MPs and MLAs. For this, he said, the IT department took away Rs 135 crores from the Congress bank account.
The Congress treasurer revealed that during his analysis of the data and details submitted by the BJP to the Election Commission, he had found that the BJP had not provided any details of 1,297 donors who had paid Rs 42 crores of the party. Quoting the Income Tax guidelines, he said, section 29-C of the Act calls for the parties to furnish various details for getting exemption. He said, according to it, the parties are supposed to give entire details including the name and address of the donor. In this case, the BJP had just given 1297 names without any other details like address.
He said, applying the same standards, which the Income Tax department applied to the Congress over the violation worth Rs 14 lakhs and charged Rs 135 crore penalty from the party, the BJP owes a penalty of Rs 4600 crores. He asked the Income Tax department why it had turned a blind eye towards such a serious violation.
Replying to a question, he said, no free and fair elections were possible under such circumstances as the level playing field was being denied to the principal opposition party.
He said the party had full faith in the Supreme Court of India where the matter was listed for April 1.
He asserted that the Congress will not let off the BJP lightly and will fight to the finish. He also clarified that the Congress already has plan B,C,D and so on prepared to face any eventuality.
He also said that the party was considering filing a PIL to get the amount of Rs 4600 crore from the BJP.
Jairam Ramesh said, the Congress will not be cowed down or intimidated by such tactics. He said, those who are trying to scare the Congress party are themselves scared.
Moreover, he clarified that what the party had said today were the revelations of the facts taken from the Election Commission of India website submitted there by the BJP itself.
