It will usher in honest money in politics: BJP

NEW DELHI: The BJP on Thursday defended electoral bonds as a “successful attempt to usher in honest money in politics” and slammed the Congress for criticising them, saying “the alliance of the defeated and the dejected corrupt politicians” do not want clean, tax-paid transparent money in elections.

“Electoral bonds brought in honest money in electoral politics. People who are making baseless allegations against the Union government about electoral bonds have grown used to black money and believe in its use during elections,” senior BJP leader and Union minister Piyush Goyal told a press conference.

Taking a swipe at the Congress, he said in some parties, leaders grew rich while the BJP used political funds for the right purpose only.

On a day the Congress accused the BJP of making “government corruption official” by bringing in the concept of electoral bonds, Goyal hit back, asking the opposition why then it did not refuse funds donated to it through these bonds.

Meanwhile, Prime Minster Narendra Modi is learnt to have expressed displeasure over the absence of some Cabinet ministers during Question Hour, sources in the government. They said the Prime Minister was of the view that it is essential that ministers remain present in Parliament, especially during Question Hour.