Congress targets PM Modi after Supreme Court verdict striking down Electoral Bonds scheme

Feb 15, 2024

New Delhi [India], February 15 : After the Supreme Court verdict striking down the Electoral Bonds Scheme, the Congress targeted Prime Minister Narendra Modi, with Congress leader Rahul Gandhi accusing the ruling party of "corruption."
"Another proof of Narendra Modi's corrupt policies is in front of you. BJP had made electoral bonds a medium for taking bribe and commission. Today this matter has been approved," Rahul Gandhi posted in hindi on X.
https://x.com/RahulGandhi/status/1758022994394329239?s=20
Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge said on X, "We welcome the decision of the Supreme Court today, which has struck down this 'Black Money Conversion' scheme of the Modi Govt, calling it "Unconstitutional".
His post added, "We hope that Modi Govt will stop resorting to such mischievous ideas in future and listens to the Supreme Court, so that Democracy, Transparency and level-playing field persists".
A five-judge bench of Chief Justice of Inda DY Chandrachud, Justices Sanjiv Khanna, BR Gavai, JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra delivered a unanimous verdict on Thursday, striking down the Electoral Bonds scheme as unconstitutional.
The CJI while reading out his judgement said that the Supreme Court holds that anonymous electoral bonds are violative of Right to Information and Article 19(1)(a).
Welcoming the verdict, the former Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot said in a post on X in Hindi, "The Supreme Court's decision declaring electoral bonds unconstitutional is historic and welcome. Electoral bonds worked to increase corruption. This ended the transparency of political donations and directly benefited the ruling party, the BJP. I have repeatedly said that electoral bonds are one of the biggest scams in independent India".
His post added, "Today the Supreme Court's decision has proved that electoral bonds are a big scam of the NDA government. This decision came late but is a very important decision to save the democracy of the country. Thanks to the Supreme Court."
He also shared on his social media account an old video clip alleging that, "Electoral bonds are a big scandal in the country".
Jairam Ramesh, another Congress leader, said in a post on X, "The Supreme Court has held the much-touted Electoral Bonds scheme of the Modi Sarkar as violative of both laws passed by Parliament as well as the Constitution of India. The long-awaited verdict is hugely welcome and will reinforce the power of votes over notes. The Modi Sarkar has been inflicting ANYAY upon ANYAY on the Annadatas while privileging the Chandadatas".
"We also hope that the Supreme Court will take note that Election Commission has been consistently refusing to even meet political parties on the issue of Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT). If everything is transparent in the voting process then why this obstinacy?"