"BJP misusing agencies for its benefit": Congress holds protest outside IT office in Chandigarh

Chandigarh (Punjab) [India], February 19 (ANI): Punjab Congress leaders along with workers on Monday staged a protest outside the IT office in Chandigarh, after the party alleged that their accounts were frozen by the Income Tax Department.
Former Union Minister Pawan Kumar Bansal and State President, Raja Warring were also present in the protest.
"The action taken by the IT department recently shows that BJP is misusing the agencies for its benefit. In 2018-19, Congress MPs gave Rs 14 lakh in cash to the party, we showed all that money in our accounts and IT pointed out that this is against the law. They imposed a very heavy penalty on that. We were dealing with those peas legally but our accounts were frozen just before the elections," Pawan Kumar Bansal told ANI.
Congress state president, Raja Warring said that although the accounts have been restarted, they will continue to stand against the 'wrongdoing' of the government.
"Today's protest was carried out as three days ago the accounts of the Congress party were blocked. This was done in protest against freezing, although our accounts have been restarted but this work done by the Bharatiya Janata Party is very condemnable. We want to tell them that we stand against all their wrongdoings. We do not have governments in different states but our workers and we are still standing with full strength," he told ANI.
Giving his reaction to the continuous meetings between the farmers and the Union Ministers, Raja Warring said that there was no need for a meeting when they had been sitting on the Delhi border to get their demands for a long time.
"So there should be no need for a meeting today or it is just a way to waste time," he added.
A protest was also held by the Jodhpur City District Congress Committee North and South against the seizing of the accounts of the Indian National Congress and Youth Congress by the Income Tax Department under the Central Government.
Rajasthan Cricket Association President Vaibhav Gehlot was also present in this demonstration.
Vaibhav Gehlot said that how the accounts of Congress officials are being seized shows that there is panic in the Central Government.
"The Lok Sabha elections are also approaching; hence the Central Government has seized our accounts. The central government is trying to kill democracy. There was no special reason for doing this, yet the accounts were seized. I would appeal to the Congress that we all should unite and fight against them," he said.
Congress is holding protests against the actions of the IT department in different parts of the country.
Earlier today, a protest was held outside the Income Tax office in Madhya Pradesh's Bhopal
Meanwhile, Congress general secretary Ajay Maken alleged that the party's accounts were frozen by the Income Tax department and called it the "freeze of democracy."
In a press conference held at the AICC headquarters in Delhi on February 16, Maken said, "I have very disturbing news to share with all of you. The accounts of the Congress party have been frozen and also those of the Youth Congress have been frozen."
However, ITAT (Income Tax Appellate Tribunal) will hear the matter on February 21, sources told ANI, adding that the current due of Congress to the Tax Department totals Rs 115 crores.
No bank operations have been seized or stopped in the Congress bank account freeze case, the sources informed further. (ANI)