"BJP using undemocratic ways to stifle Congress": Goa party chief slams BJP over 'freezing bank accounts'

Panaji (Goa) [India], March 22 (ANI): A day after the Congress's top three leaders, Mallikarjun Kharge, Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi, accused BJP of crippling the party financially ahead of Lok Sabha elections to "freeze" its bank accounts, Goa party President Amit Patkar slammed the ruling party, alleging is of "using undemocratic ways to stifle the party".
"The accounts were frozen on an income tax demand of Rs 210 crore for the financial year 2018-'19. The BJP has looted the donations given to the Congress party by the common public by freezing our accounts and forcibly withdrawing 115.32 crores from them. The election is nearing and we don't have money for campaigns, this is their agenda to restrain us from moving ahead. BJP is afraid because they are losing," Patkar said while addressing the press conference here.
"We condemned the act of the BJP government for freezing their 11 bank accounts ahead of the Lok Sabha elections. The BJP for using undemocratic ways to stifle his party," he added.
He also claimed that for a notice for FY 2017-18, a lien on Rs 210 crore was marked in the party's 11 accounts in 4 Banks.
"Last week we received fresh notice from the IT Department for the FY 1993-94. They are opening the old issue unnecessarily, only to give us trouble," Patkar said, adding, "By this act, it is evident that they want to create trouble for us and stop our campaign."
As it awaited the Delhi High Court's judgment on its plea against the initiation of income tax reassessment proceedings for 2017-18, the Congress on Thursday said it has received a notice from the I-T Department for a financial year as way back as 1993-94.
In a rare press conference with Kharge and Sonia at the AICC headquarters, Rahul said India is no longer a democracy.
"All our bank accounts have been frozen. We can do no campaign work. We cannot support our workers. We cannot support our candidates. Our leaders cannot fly from one part of the country to the other. Forget flying, they cannot take a train.. and this is being done two months before the elections. Why is it being done? One notice comes from the 90s, another notice comes from 6-7 years ago," Rahul said.
Sonia said a "systematic effort is underway by the prime minister to cripple the Congress financially."
"Funds collected from the public are being frozen, and money from our accounts is being taken away forcibly. However, even under these most challenging circumstances, we are doing our best to maintain the effectiveness of our election campaign. On the one hand, there is the electoral bond issue, which has been declared unconstitutional by the Supreme Court. The electoral bonds have benefited the BJP hugely. On the other hand, the finances of the principal Opposition party, the INC, are under a determined assault. This is truly unprecedented," she said.
Leader of Opposition Yuri Alemao, MP Francisco Sardinha, MLAs Carlos Alvares Ferreira and MLA Alton D'Costa and Ramakant Khalap were present. (ANI)