It’s not freezing of the Congress' accounts but a freezing of Indian democracy: Rahul Gandhi

In a scathing attack on the Centre, Rahul Gandhi on Thursday said that the Congress’ ability to fight elections has been damaged as all its accounts are frozen adding that this is not a freezing of the Congress' accounts but a freezing of Indian democracy.

Rahul Gandhi, while speaking at the press conference at All India Congress Committee (AICC) headquarters with Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and Chairperson of the party Sonia Gandhi, said "...We can do no campaign work... Our ability to fight elections has been damaged.”

Sonia Gandhi also accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of crippling the Congress financially and demanded that the party be given access to its bank accounts to ensure a level playing field in the run up to the Lok Sabha polls.

"Defreeze our accounts to ensure a level playing field in polls," Congress president Kharge stressed as well.

"There is no democracy in India today and the idea that India is the world’s largest democracy is a complete lie," Rahul Gandhi alleged, terming the freezing of accounts a criminal action against the Congress and a criminal action by the prime minister and home minister.

Last month, the Congress bank accounts were frozen by the Income Tax department owing to discrepancy in its income tax returns filing for 2018-19. 

The I-T department alleged the party's auditors mishandled funds and accused the party of taxation-related offences, reported Business Today.

Kharge alleged a conspiracy by the Centre where on the one hand is the electoral bonds issue, and on the other, finances of the principal opposition party are under assault, so that there is no free and fair elections.

"There are institutions that are supposed to protect the democratic framework but nothing is happening," he said.

Sonia Gandhi also alleged that money from the Congress' accounts were being taken away forcefully.

"Systematic effort is underway by prime minister to cripple the Congress financially," she said while lashing out at the government.

"Even under these challenges we are doing our best to maintain effectiveness of our campaign," she told reporters.

The issue, she said, is extremely serious and affects not just Congress but India's democracy.

"Those in power should not have direct or indirect control over constitutional bodies," Kharge said, adding that those in power should not have monopoly over resources.

Kharge further said that political parties do not come in the purview of filing Income Tax return.  “BJP has never given income tax, but only Congress is being targeted for this”, he said, invoking constitutional bodies to let the justice prevail and demanded that Congress' bank accounts be restored.

"I appeal to constitutional bodies that they should allow our party to access bank accounts if they want free and fair polls," Kharge said.