India’s main opposition party, the Congress, revealed on Friday that its bank accounts had been frozen by the tax department just weeks before the anticipated announcement of national elections.
Critics and rights groups have accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government of using law enforcement agencies to target its political opponents selectively.
Congress spokesman Ajay Maken stated that the action against his party was intended to sideline it ahead of the polls, raising concerns about the state of democracy in the country.
“Today is a sad day for Indian democracy,” Maken remarked, highlighting that four of Congress’s accounts had been frozen following an investigation into the party’s income tax returns for 2018-19.
While admitting that the party had filed its returns late by up to 45 days, Maken insisted that such penalties were unwarranted.
The tax department issued a payment demand of 2.1 billion rupees ($25.3 million) in connection with its probe, prompting Congress to appeal the decision in court and announce plans for public protests.
The announcement comes amidst a backdrop of legal actions and investigations against prominent opponents of Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
Rahul Gandhi, leader of the Congress party, was convicted of criminal libel last year, a move seen by many as politically motivated. Other opposition leaders, including Arvind Kejriwal and Hemant Soren, have also faced legal scrutiny.
The Enforcement Directorate, India’s main financial investigation agency, is conducting ongoing probes against several chief ministers or their families who belong to the BJP’s political rivals.
Virendra Sachdeva, president of the BJP’s Delhi branch, attributed the freezing of Congress’s accounts to the party’s failure to adhere to government regulations, emphasizing that all parties must face consequences for non-compliance.
