‘No level playing field for Lok Sabha polls': Congress points to electoral bonds, freezing of accounts

Rahul Gandhi, who addressed the press conference along with Mallikarjun Kharge and Sonia Gandhi, lamented what he said was the ‘silence of the institutions.’

Addressing an impromptu press conference on Thursday morning, top Congress leaders hit out at the Centre, accusing the Narendra Modi government of creating a situation where there is no ‘level playing field for the opposition,' including the Congress, the largest opposition party, ahead of the upcoming Lok Sabha polls.

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India's Congress party president Mallikarjun Kharge (R) and party leader Sonia Gandhi (L) address a press conference at the Congress party headquarters in New Delhi on March 21, 2024. (Photo by Arun SANKAR / AFP) (AFP)

Party chief Mallikarjun Kharge and his predecessors, Sonia and Rahul Gandhi, pointed to two specific cases: electoral bonds and the Income Tax department freezing the grand old party's accounts.

Kharge was the first among the trio to speak; he pointed to how the ruling BJP is the biggest beneficiary of the now-scrapped electoral bonds scheme, with 56% of total donations made to political parties going to the BJP alone, while, in contrast, the Congress received only 11% of the total funds donated by companies and individuals.

Speaking next, Sonia Gandhi accused prime minister Modi of launching ‘systematic efforts to cripple the Congress financially.’

He also slammed national institutions, and questioned the Election Commission and courts for their 'silence.'

“There is no democracy in India today,” he concluded.