Siddaramaiah questions PM Modi on electoral bond issue

PTI, Mar 16, 2024, 7:32 PM IST

Terming electoral bonds as a “scam” and the “biggest corruption scandal in the world”, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Saturday questioned Prime Minister Narendra Modi about BJP’s alleged silence on the issue.

Questioning the PM, who was on a visit to the state today, Siddaramaiah wondered if the union government was “misusing” its investigative agencies to extort donations and insisted that the Supreme Court should establish a Special Investigation Committee to probe the electoral bond “scam”, and, until then, freeze the bank accounts of BJP.

“Welcome to Karnataka, Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Please answer why is BJP silent about the electoral bond scam – the biggest corruption scandal in the world?” Siddarmaiah posted on social media platform X.

“For a decade, you held power, promising to bring back black money from Swiss Bank, eliminate black money via demonetisation, claiming ‘Na Khaunga, Na Khane Dunga’, and being the so-called ‘Chowkidar of the Nation’. Now, it is time for you to address the issues surrounding the electoral bond scam,” he said.

“Despite the Supreme Court’s order, why is the State Bank of India (SBI) hesitant to provide complete information? If the sale and purchase of electoral bonds was conducted legally, why is SBI concealing information? Who is exerting pressure on SBI,” he asked, demanding Modi’s response.

Modi today formally launched the party’s Lok Sabha election campaign in the state in Kalaburagi, the home turf of Congress President M Mallikarjun Kharge.

Claiming that the information released by the Election Commission–which the media is scrutinising– it appears that the BJP government at the centre is “blackmailing” businessmen, Siddaramaiah said, “When we look at the dates of IT, ED, and CBI raids on these businessmen and the dates they purchased electoral bonds, it seems like a clear case of blackmail.”

“Is the union government misusing its investigative agencies to extort donations? Is the electoral bond a political weapon of mass extortion in the hands of BJP? Prime Minister Narendra Modi, please respond,” he said.

Based on emerging information, it seems that a significant number of participants in the electoral bond scam are from infrastructure and pharmaceutical firms, he said.

“How reliable are the roads, bridges, and buildings constructed by such fraudulent organisations? How safe are the medicines produced by these corrupt entities, BJP? Shouldn’t you, Prime Minister Modi, be the one to answer these questions,” Siddaramaiah questioned.

The chief minister said that the Supreme Court, by thoroughly exposing the electoral bond scam, has raised suspicions among every citizen about the misuse of their tax money, and people strongly believe that the union government is fully involved in this fraud.