Income Tax Department freezes Congress’ accounts

Congress Treasurer Ajay Maken accused the Income Tax Department of freezing the party’s primary bank accounts on what he described as “weak grounds.” Maken asserted that this action has severely hampered all political operations of the party, especially with general elections looming just two weeks away. He revealed that four main bank accounts, and later confirmed sources stated nine accounts, including those of the Indian Youth Congress, were frozen due to an Income Tax demand of Rs 210 crore for the fiscal year 2018-19, which was an election year.

According to Maken, the freezing of accounts came shortly after the party filed its Income Tax return for the year, albeit a few days past the deadline. This move, he argued, marks the first instance in the nation’s history where the accounts of the principal opposition party have been frozen by tax authorities on what he characterized as flimsy grounds, just before the crucial announcement of general elections. Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge condemned the action, describing it as a significant blow to India’s democracy and expressing concerns over the potential misuse of funds by the ruling BJP. He urged the judiciary to intervene to safeguard the democratic principles of the country and announced the party’s intention to take legal recourse to address the situation.