CPM leader Sitaram Yechury on Wednesday targeted corporate funding of political parties and demanded state funding of elections during the discussion on demonetisation and black money.
The senior Marxist leader said in Rajya Sabha that corporate funding of all political parties should stop. Deputy Chairman P J Kurien asked Yechury to bring a Private Member Bill in the House on state funding of elections.
Yechury charged that the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act was changed for foreign funding of political parties. The finance minister contradicted the charge and said the amendment was made for Indian companies having foreign component in their business.
Yechury dismissed the advice that people should use plastic money instead of cash. He said only 2.6 crore of the 130 crore Indians have credit cards. He took a dig at Prime Minister Narendra Modi and referred to Queen Marie Antoinette’s remark during the French revolution: “People can eat cakes when they don’t have bread”.
“We have Modi Antoinette who says, If you don't have paper, use plastic,” said Yechury.
DH News Service
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