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NATION MARCH 22, 2024 | The Indian Eye 8

ELECTORAL BONDS

BJP in a corner as SBI data

reveals party to be the biggest

beneficiary of donations

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Friday labelled the electoral bond scheme as the

“biggest extortion racket in the world”

OUR BUREAU Modi ran the world’s largest extor-
tion racket in the name of electoral
New Delhi
bonds.”
n a development with far-reach- “The sovereign institutions of the
ing consequences, the Chairman country, be it the ED, the Election
Iof State Bank of India (SBI) filed Commission of India or the CBI,
an affidavit in the Supreme Court are no longer autonomous bodies
apprising that in compliance with the but are weapons in the hands of the
top court’s order, date of purchase BJP and RSS. If these institutions
of each Electoral Bond, the name of had done their job as they should,
the purchaser and the denomination things wouldn’t have come to this
of the Electoral Bond purchased has pass. When this BJP government
been furnished to the Election Com- goes, these agencies will face action.
mission of India. The action against them will be such
Dinesh Kumar Khara, Chair- that these incidents (alleged harass-
man of SBI, in the affidavit told ment of Opposition leaders) are
the top court that the bank has also not repeated. I can guarantee,” the
furnished the detail to Election Congress MP said at the press con-
Commission regarding the date of ference.
encashment of the Electoral Bonds, Taking a further swipe at the BJP,
the name of political parties who Rahul accused the ruling party at the
have received the contributions and Indian Youth Congress members stage a protest over the SBI’s electoral bond Centre of destroying the country’s
the denomination of the said bonds. ‘institutional framework’.
SBI said that the data has been issue in Bengaluru (ANI) Describing the Centre’s elector-
furnished in respect of bonds pur- al bond scheme as the ‘brain child’
chased and redeemed between April tion Bench clarified that all details Meanwhile, adding to the cho- of Prime Minister Modi, Rahul add-
12, 2019 to February 15, 2024. A of Electoral Bonds will be made rus of opposition against the BJP-led ed, “This scheme is the brain child
total number of 22,217 bonds were available including date of purchase, Centre after the publication of the of the PM, who said the electoral
purchased during the period April 1, name of purchaser, the denomina- details of political funding through bonds would cleanse the country’s
2019 till February 15, 2024, SBI told tion. It’s been submitted that SBI electoral bonds on the official portal politics (by ensuring checks and bal-
the Supreme Court. has not disclosed the Electoral bond of the Election Commission (EC), ances).”
“From April 1 to 11, 2019 total numbers (alpha numeric numbers).” Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on To a media query about the elec-
number of Electoral Bonds pur- “Notice be issued to SBI. We di- Friday labelled the electoral bond toral bond scheme, the Congress
chased were 3346 and total number rect Registry to issue notice to SBI scheme as the “biggest extortion leader said, “These are not allega-
of bonds redeemed were 1609,” affi- returnable on Monday,” ordered the racket in the world”. tions but facts. If you look closely at
davit stated. bench. Addressing a press conference some of these companies (that do-
Now, the controversy has taken At the outset of the hearing, apex on Friday, on the sidelines of his on- nated to the BJP), you will see that
a serious turn as the Supreme Court court said, “Who is appearing for the going ‘Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra’, Ra- they did not give money to the BJP
on Friday took exception to SBI for State Bank of India? They have not hul claimed that the ED and CBI are till the ED or CBI filed cases against
not furnishing Electoral Bonds data disclosed the bond numbers. It has no longer autonomous institutions them.”
with unique alphanumeric numbers, to be disclosed by the State Bank of but are weapons in the hands of the Meanwhile, Congress president
which help identify the bond, and India.” BJP and RSS to target Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge also hit out
issued notice to it while seeking the Solicitor General Tushar Mehta leaders. at PM Modi over electoral bond
bank’s response on Monday. urged the court to issue notice to the In a post on X, Rahul, fired a scheme, saying he should be held to
The apex court in its order stat- bank since they may have something fresh salvo at Prime Minister Na- account for minting money out of
ed, “The judgment of the Constitu- to say. rendra Modi, stating, “Narendra electoral bonds.

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