Congress demands Nirmala Sitharaman's resignation over FIR in electoral bond case

Congress reiterated its demand for a Supreme Court-monitored inquiry through an SIT into the whole electoral bond scheme.

Published on: Sep 29, 2024, 15:20:04 IST

By HT News Desk

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The Congress launched a sharp attack on the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Sunday, demanding the resignation of Union finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman after a case was registered against her in connection with the now-scrapped electoral bonds scheme. The opposition party accused Sitharaman of “undermining democracy” and called for a Supreme Court-monitored inquiry into the controversial scheme through a Special Investigation Team (SIT).

A case was registered on Saturday against Sitharaman and others on the directions of a court in Bengaluru, following a complaint relating to the now-scrapped electoral bonds scheme. (PTI)

What are the allegations?

The case was filed following a court directive in Bengaluru, based on a complaint lodged by Adarsh R Iyer, co-president of the 'Janaadhikaara Sangharsha Parishath' (JSP). The complaint alleges that Sitharaman, along with Enforcement Directorate (ED) officials and BJP leaders, orchestrated an extortion racket under the guise of electoral bonds, benefiting to the tune of over ₹8,000 crore.

Also Read | ‘Case of extortion’: Complainant attacks Nirmala Sitharaman over electoral bonds

FIR has been lodged against Sitharaman, BJP Karnataka chief B Y Vijayendra, and state party leader Nalin Kumar Kateel, among others, under charges of extortion (Section 384), criminal conspiracy (120B), and common intention (34) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).

Addressing the media, Congress leaders Jairam Ramesh and Abhishek Singhvi condemned the alleged involvement of the finance minister, with Ramesh demanding her immediate resignation.

Ramesh said the finance minister should immediately resign as she is "guilty" politically, legally and morally.

The Congress also reiterated its call for a thorough investigation into the electoral bonds scheme, which was struck down by the Supreme Court earlier this year. The apex court ruled that the scheme violated the right to information and freedom of speech, posing a threat to free and fair elections in the country.

"The Finance Minister cannot do this on her own. We know who is number 1 and number 2 and this was done on whose directions," Singhvi said.

"The larger issue is the level playing field which is necessary for free and fair polls. Free and fair polls are critical for democracy. This is an attack on our democratic system," Singhvi said while terming it as "EBS - Extortionist BJP Scheme".

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HT News Desk
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