A Congress delegation on Tuesday met Chief Election Commissioner Sunil Arora and raised the issue of income tax raids on some of its employees last week. They alleged that the tax department is behaving like a "department of BJP".
The delegation comprising former ministers Anand Sharma, Kapil Sibal, Manish Tiwari and Pranav Jha alleged that the party was prevented to use its designated bank account to fund its candidates in the assembly polls in Maharashtra and Haryana. The Congress leaders alleged that the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) officials raiding the opposition across the country without document and warrants.
After the meeting, Congress leader Kapil Sibal said "The position is such that people of CBDT have been sitting at the homes of our employees from Friday to Sunday. There is no warrant and no papers. What is this? We know that they are misusing ED and other agencies. If this is not an attack on democracy then what is it?" The Congress has demanded to the poll body to intervene in the matter as their account have been paralysed.
"The Congress is required to transfer, whatever funds it has, to its candidates in Maharashtra and in Haryana, in their designated bank accounts by cheque, that is what the elections require and we have been prevented from doing that and that is illegality and we have conveyed to the EC that they should intervene," Sibal said.
The Congress leader said that they have seen it happening in the last elections, it is happening now brazenly. "India cannot be converted into a state where democracy is under perpetual seize and the Tax department of the Government cannot become a department of the ruling party, the BJP," Sibal added.
Party leader Anand Sharma said "They have (EC) has the constitutional mandate to ensure free and fair elections. There cannot be targeting using and abusing. For three days Congress party's accounts section was totally paralysed. Whatever meagre funds the Congress party has at its disposal considering the BJP is the world's richest political party."
The Congress has also raised of issue of alleged hooliganism by the BJP candidate in Kaithal in Haryana. The seat is being contested by Congress leader Randeep Surjewala.