CM, Surjewala condemn freezing of Congress bank accounts; demand ‘level playing field’
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and AICC general secretary in charge of Karnataka Randeep Singh Surjewala on Friday alleged that the NDA government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi was making every attempt to cripple the Congress campaign in the runup to the Lok Sabha elections by freezing 11 accounts of the party in different banks.
An all-out attack
At a press conference, both leaders mounted an allout attack on the Union government, alleging that all Central agencies had been used to restrict the operation of Congress’ bank accounts, following a tax dispute. They demanded a level playing field to contest the Lok Sabha election.
Mr. Surjewala alleged that democracy and parliamentary institutions were under attack, and the government had seized more than ₹200 crore of the party’s funds in different banks and curtailed the supply of publicity materials, advertisement in the media, and tours of the leaders.
Mr. Surjewala termed the Narendra Modiled government “fascist” and said Chief Ministers of two States had been arrested just a few weeks before polling. The BJP has been using the Governors as its tool to pursue its political agenda, he said.
Mr. Siddaramaiah said the BJP and the Centre have no trust in democracy and they would not ensure free and fair polls. He condemned the freezing of the party’s bank accounts and claimed that the BJP had been using all kinds of political tactics with a fear of losing the Lok Sabha election.
In Karnataka, BJP leaders indulged in ‘Operation Lotus’ by using black money and still they have been trying to poach the Congress legislators by paying ₹50 crore each. “Is this not black money?” the Chief Minister asked. However, the Congress would win 20 seats in the State in the Lok Sabha election, he said. KPCC president and Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar said the funds mobilised by the party through the membership drive had been seized and demanded a level playing field for all parties in the coming elections.