TFP Bureau, Raipur; March 29, 2024: The Income Tax Department’s hefty fine of Rs 1823.08 crore on the Congress Party has sparked accusations of authoritarianism from State Congress President Deepak Baij, who decried the move as a dictatorial maneuver by the central government led by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Baij lambasted the BJP-led government, alleging a concerted effort to stifle the main opposition party’s resources amidst the looming Lok Sabha elections.
Baij condemned what he described as a conspiracy by the Modi government to handicap the opposition, claiming that the timing of the tax notice was strategic, aimed at undermining the Congress party’s financial capabilities just ahead of the electoral fray.
“Modi government is making poor efforts to save power from misuse of constitutional agencies,” remarked Baij,
hinting at a systematic misuse of governmental bodies to suppress political rivals.
Accusing the BJP and its central leadership of subverting democracy, Baij highlighted a series of alleged anti-democratic tactics, including the targeting of Congress leaders through investigative agencies such as the Enforcement Directorate (ED), Income Tax Department (IT), and Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). He further accused the Modi government of utilizing these agencies to intimidate opposition parties and tilt the electoral playing field in their favor.
“The dictatorial Modi government is bent on intimidating the opposition and destroying democracy by misuse of money, force and central agency,” Baij asserted,
denouncing the freezing of Congress party bank accounts and the issuance of income tax notices on the pretext of decades-old cases as undemocratic.
Drawing attention to recent scandals such as the electoral bond controversy, Baij criticized the BJP’s ethical standards, alleging that the ruling party was operating investigative agencies as “extortion gangs” to further its political agenda. He emphasized the need for fair and transparent elections, accusing the BJP of attempting to monopolize power by depriving opposition parties of vital resources.
“Income Tax Department has no objection on the same. There is no income tax liability on political parties, BJP has never paid any income tax, but maliciously targeting Congress at the time of elections and freezing bank accounts in the name of a 30 year old case is undemocratic,” Baij declared,
urging for accountability and fairness in the electoral process.
