Alliance Of 'Defeated, Dejected, Corrupt' Opposing Electoral Bonds: Piyush Goyal

BJP leader and Union Minister Piyush Goyal on Thursday hit back at the Congress over the issue of electoral bond saying that said it is only natural for the grand old party to oppose a system which is cleaning the electoral process from the curse of black money. Goyal said that the Congress does not want clean, tax-paid transparent money to fund elections. “People who are revolting against electoral bonds have grown used to black money & believe in its usage during elections. This is the alliance of the defeated and dejected corrupt politicians who do not want clean, tax-paid transparent money to fund elections,” Goyal said while addressing a press conference at the party headquarters.

Goyal said that electoral bonds brought in honest money in electoral politics and those opposing it have grown used to black money and believe in its usage during elections

On the Election Commission's recommendation, the Narendra Modi government banned cash donations above Rs 2,000, he said.

All the information about the electoral bonds are in public domain and can be accessed through RTI, he said, dismissing reports over the matter as "no new revelations".

The Congress earlier launched a scathing attack on the BJP-led government at the Centre, with its chief spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala describing it as a "modus operandi to receive thousands of crores from big business houses through secret donations".

Citing news reports based on RTI documents, Surjewala had said, "The intrigue and the conspiracy has now indicted the prime minister himself. RTI documents now establish the role and indict none less than the prime minister himself."

The Congress raised the issue in both the Houses of Parliament on Thursday.

Addressing a press conference in Parliament premises, Congress leader Tewari said the party will continue to raise the issue in Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha as it considers electoral bonds a "threat to democracy".

He reiterated his party's demand for a full-fledged discussion on the electoral bonds issue in both Houses of Parliament.

With PTI Inputs