The Congress on Friday termed the electoral bond scheme as the largest corruption scandal in the collection of election donations.
Abhay Dubey, spokesperson of the All India Congress Committee, addressed media personnel at the state party headquarters, stating that the electoral bond scheme, which was notified effective January 2, 2018, lacked transparency and has become a glaring example of the misuse of government machinery.
Dubey highlighted that a five-judge bench of the Supreme Court has declared the scheme unconstitutional. He reiterated that the Congress had opposed the scheme since its inception, consistently warning about the potential for corruption in election donations. He emphasized that the recent decision by the Supreme Court validated the concerns raised by the Congress.
Furthermore, Dubey pointed out instances where companies were allegedly awarded contracts following donations through electoral bonds. He expressed apprehension that these companies might compromise on quality, leading to substandard material being used in development projects. He also raised concerns about pharmaceutical companies donating through electoral bonds, suggesting a potential risk of substandard medicines entering the market.
Dubey also called the freezing of Congress accounts undemocratic.