Prime Minister Narendra Modi contributed ₹1,000 to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Tuesday through an eponymous app and requested his party workers to join the initiative “for bringing in transparency”. The party has started a ‘microdonation’ drive through the app, which it claims has the twin purpose of allowing supporters to donate money to the party and ensure transparency in fund collection.
“Contributed to @BJP4India, via the ‘Narendra Modi Mobile App.’ I urge you all to contribute to the Party through the App and spread the message of transparency in public life. You can contribute any amount from ₹5/- to ₹1000/- via the ‘Narendra Modi Mobile App.,” the PM tweeted.
Similar messages were posted by BJP president Amit Shah, and several union ministers such as minister for external affairs Sushma Swaraj and urban development minister Hardeep Puri.
According to a party functionary, donations from ₹5 to ₹1,000 can be made through the app. On the cap that is imposed, the party functionary said: “The idea is to encourage microdonations and hence the cap.” There is no restriction on the number of times donations can be made through the app.
In 2017, election watchdog, the association for democratic reforms (ADR), in its report on political funding, had revealed that the BJP, which has been in power at the Centre since 2014 and in over a dozen states, is the richest among India’s seven national parties, having declared assets worth nearly ₹894 crore in 2015-16.
{{/usCountry}}In 2017, election watchdog, the association for democratic reforms (ADR), in its report on political funding, had revealed that the BJP, which has been in power at the Centre since 2014 and in over a dozen states, is the richest among India’s seven national parties, having declared assets worth nearly ₹894 crore in 2015-16.
{{/usCountry}}Earlier this year, another ADR report showed that the BJP’s reported income of Rs1,034.27 crore was 4.6 times that of the Congress. In 2016-17, the BJP got ₹532.27 crore in donations above ₹20,000, which is more than 12 times the money Congress got in similar donations.
Commenting on the donation drive launched by the party ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha polls and the upcoming assembly elections in five states, Jagdeep Chhokar of the ADR said: “Transparency will be ensured when all the political parties start disclosing the source of all the money they receive through electoral bonds and other means.”
At present political parties have the option of not disclosing donations up to ₹20,000, but they can only accept cash donations up to ₹2,000.