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NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday strongly refuted allegations that raids by central probe agencies like ED and CBI were used to ensure political donations to BJP through electoral bonds and accused the opposition of spreading lies.
“In all 3000 companies had made political donations through electoral bonds. Out of these, there were 26 firms that were raided by the central probe agencies like CBI and ED.Only 16 of these 26 firms had made political donations around the time they were raided,” PM Modi said in an interview to news agency ANI.
“I agree this can lead to talks of linking political donation to raids. But consider this fact. Only 37% of money given by these 16 firms was for the BJP while the rest 63% went to the opposition parties. If there was merit in opposition’s allegations why would these firms pay 63% to them,” PM Modi said.
“Do you think ED will conduct raids for the donations to go to the opposition? Will the BJP do this? The goal of the opposition is to keep levelling allegations and run away,” he said.
Prime Minister Modi reiterated that opposition parties will one day regret the scrapping of electoral bonds. “The fact that we are getting the money trail of political funding is the success story of electoral bonds,” PM Modi said and added “there is a lot of scope for improvement.”
“It is due to electoral bonds you are getting the trail of money. Which company gave it? How did they give it? Where did they give it? And that is why I say when they (opposition) will think honestly, everyone will regret it (on the Supreme Court decision to scrap electoral bonds),” PM Modi said.
“There was a long standing demand to free elections from black money. So we thought of trying to do something to bring transparency in political funding. Electoral bonds was a move in that direction,” the Prime Minister said.
The Prime Minister had earlier also held that the sources of political funding and its beneficiaries could be found out only due to the electoral bond system put in by his government. The Supreme Court had on February 15 scrapped the electoral bonds scheme that allowed anonymous political funding, calling it “unconstitutional.” Acting on SC order, the State Bank of India had revealed all the details of electoral bonds, including the unique bond number that would reveal the link between the purchaser and the recipient political party.
In an interview with Thanthi TV last month, PM Modi had denied that the SC ruling on electoral bond had caused any setback to the ruling BJP. “Tell me what have we done that I should see it as a setback? I firmly believe that those dancing over it (bond details) and taking pride in it are going to repent,” the PM had then said.
The opposition parties, including the Congress, has demanded a Supreme Court-monitored SIT probe into the electoral bonds issue, alleging that the “opaque scheme” ensured that prepaid, postpaid and even post-raid bribes could be routed through the banking channel.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi rejected PM Modi’s remarks and reiterated his charge that electoral bonds was the biggest extortion scheme of the world and PM Modi was the mastermind of it.
“The important thing in electoral bond is – names and dates. If you see the names and dates you will know that when they (donors) gave the electoral bond, right after that contract was given to them or CBI inquiry was withdrawn against them. Pradhan Mantri pakade gaye hain isiliye ANI ko interview de rahe hain. Ask the PM to explain that one day CBI inquiry starts and immediately after that they get the money and immediately after that CBI inquiry is scrapped. Big contracts, infrastructure contracts – the company gives money and immediately after that they are given the contract. The truth is it is extortion and PM Modi has masterminded it,” Rahul Gandhi said.
“In all 3000 companies had made political donations through electoral bonds. Out of these, there were 26 firms that were raided by the central probe agencies like CBI and ED.Only 16 of these 26 firms had made political donations around the time they were raided,” PM Modi said in an interview to news agency ANI.
“I agree this can lead to talks of linking political donation to raids. But consider this fact. Only 37% of money given by these 16 firms was for the BJP while the rest 63% went to the opposition parties. If there was merit in opposition’s allegations why would these firms pay 63% to them,” PM Modi said.
“Do you think ED will conduct raids for the donations to go to the opposition? Will the BJP do this? The goal of the opposition is to keep levelling allegations and run away,” he said.
Prime Minister Modi reiterated that opposition parties will one day regret the scrapping of electoral bonds. “The fact that we are getting the money trail of political funding is the success story of electoral bonds,” PM Modi said and added “there is a lot of scope for improvement.”
“It is due to electoral bonds you are getting the trail of money. Which company gave it? How did they give it? Where did they give it? And that is why I say when they (opposition) will think honestly, everyone will regret it (on the Supreme Court decision to scrap electoral bonds),” PM Modi said.
“There was a long standing demand to free elections from black money. So we thought of trying to do something to bring transparency in political funding. Electoral bonds was a move in that direction,” the Prime Minister said.
The Prime Minister had earlier also held that the sources of political funding and its beneficiaries could be found out only due to the electoral bond system put in by his government. The Supreme Court had on February 15 scrapped the electoral bonds scheme that allowed anonymous political funding, calling it “unconstitutional.” Acting on SC order, the State Bank of India had revealed all the details of electoral bonds, including the unique bond number that would reveal the link between the purchaser and the recipient political party.
In an interview with Thanthi TV last month, PM Modi had denied that the SC ruling on electoral bond had caused any setback to the ruling BJP. “Tell me what have we done that I should see it as a setback? I firmly believe that those dancing over it (bond details) and taking pride in it are going to repent,” the PM had then said.
The opposition parties, including the Congress, has demanded a Supreme Court-monitored SIT probe into the electoral bonds issue, alleging that the “opaque scheme” ensured that prepaid, postpaid and even post-raid bribes could be routed through the banking channel.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi rejected PM Modi’s remarks and reiterated his charge that electoral bonds was the biggest extortion scheme of the world and PM Modi was the mastermind of it.
“The important thing in electoral bond is – names and dates. If you see the names and dates you will know that when they (donors) gave the electoral bond, right after that contract was given to them or CBI inquiry was withdrawn against them. Pradhan Mantri pakade gaye hain isiliye ANI ko interview de rahe hain. Ask the PM to explain that one day CBI inquiry starts and immediately after that they get the money and immediately after that CBI inquiry is scrapped. Big contracts, infrastructure contracts – the company gives money and immediately after that they are given the contract. The truth is it is extortion and PM Modi has masterminded it,” Rahul Gandhi said.
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