Probe bank account details, funding of all political parties: Kejriwal

Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal demanded on Saturday setting up of a commission to probe source of funding of political parties.

Criticising the central government’s decision to exempt political parties from paying income tax while depositing old Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes, Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal demanded on Saturday setting up of a commission to probe sources of funding of political parties.

Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal addresses a press conference in New Delhi. (PTI File Photo)

Kejriwal, who is the convener of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP,) sought to link the Centre’s tax exemption decision to the meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi on Friday, suggesting the announcement was an outcome of the parleys between the two.

“Common people are being investigated if they deposit R 2.5 lakh individually. But if political parties are not going to be investigated even if they deposit R 2,500 crore following the decision, then it is wrong, he said.

“We demand setting up of an independent commission to probe into bank accounts details of political parties over the past five years, to investigate into their sources of funding,” Kejriwal said.

Alleging that AAP’s treasurer is being summoned by the income tax department on a daily basis, he asked the Centre to do the same for all parties including the BJP and the Congress. “The Centre should make public details of money deposited by all political parties post-demonetisation. Even funds or donations that are less than Rs 20,000 must be brought under tax scrutiny as each paisa the parties receive should be declared,” the chief minister said.