Congress to stage nationwide protest today
New Delhi, Mar 29: The Congress Friday said it has received fresh notices from the income-tax department, asking it to pay around Rs 1,823 crore even as it accused the BJP of “serious violations” of income-tax laws for which it should be penalised to the tune of Rs 4,600 crore.
The left parties – CPI and CPI-M – were also caught up in similar tax nets with the CPI saying it has received a notice from Income Tax department for using an old PAN card and the CPI-M slapped with a tax recovery notice of Rs 15.59 crore for not declaring a bank account in its tax returns for 2016-17.
With campaigning for Lok Sabha polls picking up, the Congress also accused the ruling BJP of indulging in “tax terrorism” to financially cripple the opposition party and alleged that democracy was “under threat” in the BJP government.
Citing examples, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge said the I-T department has now given a notice to the Congress for a total amount of Rs 1,823 crore and already withdrawn Rs 135 crore from the party's accounts, which were funds collected by the party through crowdsourcing.
The left parties – CPI and CPI-M were also caught up in similar tax nets with the CPI saying it has received a notice from Income Tax department for using an old PAN card and the CPI-M slapped with a tax recovery notice of Rs 15.59 crore for not declaring a bank account in its tax returns for 2016-17.
All the parties are now seeking legal recourse and the Congress saying that its case is slated to be heard in the Supreme Court on April 1.
Addressing a press conference at the AICC headquarters here along with Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh and party treasurer Ajay Maken alleged that the BJP is in serious violation of income-tax laws and said the I-T department should raise a demand of Rs 4,617.58 crore from the saffron party for such violations.
Maken said political parties have to fill up a proforma of Form 24A, in which two basic and important pieces of information have to be furnished — the names and addresses of their donors.
“We have analysed all the submissions of the BJP to the Election Commission (EC). The party has faltered every year,” Maken claimed, alleging that the tax authorities are targeting only the principal opposition party and not the BJP for similar violations.
He also claimed that he is contemplating of filing a public interest litigation (PIL) in the court against the alleged “favouritism” of I-T authorities towards the BJP, on which the tax department should slap a fine of Rs 4600 crore for violations on similar grounds as imposed on the Congress.
Kharge accused the BJP-led Centre of misusing institutions like the income-tax department, ED and CBI to subvert democracy and belittle the Constitution, and asked why is the I-T department being used as a weapon to harass the principal opposition party.
He asserted that such actions would not deter the Congress from contesting the upcoming Lok Sabha polls and vowed that his party will free the country's institutions from the BJP's “dictatorship”.
Reacting to the IT notice, party leader Rahul Gandhi said when the government changes after the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, action will be initiated against those who assaulted democracy.
Taking to X, Gandhi said exemplary action would be initiated to ensure that such steps would not be taken by government agencies and added that this is his “guarantee.”
The party also said it will stage a nationwide protest against the notice on Saturday.
Party general secretary organisation K.C. Venugopal directed all the state units to hold demonstrations at PCC headquarters and at district Congress Committee headquarters on the issue.
