Congress demands SIT probe into unrecognised party funds
Gujarat Congress chief Amit Chavda on Sunday said the party has demanded an SIT probe into the media reports about unrecognised political parties receiving huge donations in 2023-24, and alleged that the investigation will find the involvement of senior BJP leaders.
Addressing a press conference in Nagpur, Chavda said a BBC News Hindi investigation revealed that six registered unrecognised political parties (RUPP) in Gujarat received higher donations than all national parties except the BJP in 2023-24, despite contesting only one or two seats.
The press meet was held as part of the Congress’s nationwide exercise at 21 major locations to state its position on a caste-based census and to raise objections to the central Government’s approach to it.
Gujarat Pradesh Congress Committee (GPCC) president Chavda termed the alleged funding to unrecognised parties as the “Modi model” of scams.
He pointed out that as per media reports, six registered unrecognised political parties in Gujarat received donations higher than national parties - except the BJP - in 2023-24, despite fielding just one or two candidates in the elections.
“This is the ‘Modi model’ - how scams are engineered. PM Narendra Modi claims he neither takes money nor allows anyone else to take it. But the reality is he does not deal in anything less than crores,” Chavda alleged.
He claimed that several of these unrecognised political parties do not exist at their registered addresses, houses, or offices, yet their accounts reflect turnover running into crores of rupees.
“Their expenses are in a few lakhs, while their income runs into crores. Despite being repeatedly exposed and FIRs being registered, no strict action is taken. People connected with the BJP are allegedly using these accounts (of unrecognised parties) for money laundering,” Chavda alleged.
“I believe that an SIT should be constituted to investigate the matter in the future. We have also demanded that an SIT, headed by a sitting High Court judge, investigate the issue. This would bring out the involvement of senior BJP leaders as well, “ he said.
He further claimed that public discontent is growing in Gujarat and its results will be visible in the 2027 Assembly elections.
Power and wealth are increasingly centralised in Gujarat to benefit only a handful of people, Chavda said, adding that farmers are distressed due to a drought-like situation in nearly half the State.
Exam paper leaks are recurring, education has been commercialised, and youth are left without employment, he said.
He also targeted the Gujarat Government over law and order, alleging that despite prohibition, the recent hooch tragedies claimed several lives.
“In many localities, drinking water is unavailable, but liquor and drugs are easily accessible. Under the BJP’s double-engine Government, Gujarat is turning into an ‘Udta Gujarat’,” Chavda said, giving reference to the movie ‘Udta Punjab’, which highlighted the drug menace in Punjab.
He announced that the Congress is launching the Jan Aakrosh Yatra to visit every village in Gujarat to highlight issues concerning farmers, youth, and tribal communities whose land, water, and forests are being taken away in the name of development.
“Change will begin in 2027 from the land of Gandhi and Gujarat, and it will reflect across the country in 2029,” Chavda claimed.
Criticising the Central Government’s proposed caste census, Chavda said the process would remain incomplete unless the questionnaire includes a separate column for Other Backward Classes (OBCs).
He demanded that the current census questionnaire be scrapped and revised after consultation with representatives of underprivileged communities and political parties.
He alleged that the Government did not hold any discussions with the representatives of underprivileged castes, nor the political parties and various sections of society in the country.
