“Decision on electoral bond scheme taken after deliberation…not criticising Supreme Court verdict”: Rajnath Singh

New Delhi [India], April 11 (ANI): Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has defended the Electoral Bonds scheme, which has been declared unconstitutional by the Supreme Court and said the government had made the decision after due deliberation.

In an interview with ANI, Rajnath Singh said people will understand what benefits the scheme had at an appropriate time.   

Asked about questions regarding 'quid pro quo', Singh said the Supreme Court had taken cognisance of the case and can see and give its verdict.  

“The Supreme Court verdict is acceptable to us. We are not criticising the verdict. Secondly, some people say names are not being disclosed, names should be disclosed. So maybe a time will come when people will ask who has given votes to whom, this should also be disclosed."

Answering a query on donations to BJP, he said people facing cases can also vote and can also assist a candidate financially. He said the probe can continue and if the person is held guilty, requisite action can be taken.        

“The decision we took, it was after due deliberation. I want to say we do not have any regrets," he said.

The Electoral Bond Scheme was a way for political parties in India to get money without revealing the donor's identity. Supreme Court, in a ruling in February, struck down the Centre's Electoral Bond Scheme and asked the SBI to stop issuing electoral bonds immediately.

In compliance with a directive from the Supreme Court, the Election Commission of India (ECI) recently uploaded data on electoral bonds on its official website. The data was provided by State Bank of India (SBI) on the directions of apex court.

Speaking on the promises made by Congress of scraping ‘'Agniveer scheme' that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had termed a "game changer,"  the Union Minister took a dig at the party and said it is giving such assurances because they knows they will not come to power.

"They (Congress) know that they are not going to formthe government. That's why they have made these kinds of promises. We are selecting the youth of 18 years good training is being given to them. Technological training is being provided to them”.

“There is reservations not only in paramilitary forces but also in many other such institutions. Even some private institutions said that they would provide reservation to Agniveers. At the age of 18, they will be admitted, even if they leave after four years, they will be 22. After this, they can sit in on the Union Public Service Commission competition and many other competitions. This is indeed an attempt (by Congress) to mislead the soldiers of the country. The scheme has been started keeping in mind the interests of the youth and their future," he said. 

"These people (the Congress) haven't done that should have been done for the soldiers of this country. We are giving such opportunities to the soldiers. I want to reiterate the point again and also want to tell my Congress friends that politics should not be done for forming the government, but politics should be done for building the nation," Singh said. 

In its manifesto for the Lok Sabha polls, Congress has promised to abolish the Agnipath Scheme and return to the normal recruitment processes followed by the Army, Navy and Air Force. "It will guarantee economic and social security for our soldiers," the manifesto read.

Referring to target of 370 seats for BJP and over 400 seats for NDA in the Lok Sabha polls,  Rajnath Singh said whatever party decides it does so on the basis of ground reality.

(ANI)