Congress leader and Rajya Sabha member Ajay Maken, in his speech in Parliament on Thursday, made sharp attacks on the Election Commission and said that the institution has become a "puppet of the government".
He asserted that the EC was not able to provide a level-playing field to all parties and there was a visible lack of transparency and credibility in the whole electoral process.
In his speech during the discussion on election reforms in the Rajya Sabha, Maken asserted how there was growing disparity in the finances between the BJP and the Congress. He cited the money available in the bank accounts of the Congress and the BJP after every general election that the country has seen 2004 onwards.
He said that in the last 20 years, since 2004, the BJP's bank balance increased from Rs 87.96 crore to Rs 10,107.2 crore, while that of the Congress increased from Rs 38.48 crore to Rs 133.97 crore.
Maken further said, "I have spoken to businessmen, big industrialists. They said that during the time of the Congress government, they used to contribute (to political parties) in a 60:40 ratio. At present, let alone 90:10, even at a 95:5 ratio, we (businesses) can't give it to you because the moment we do it, ED and I-T will come after us, and we are not allowed to do anything."
While stating these numbers, he also said the government was using various tactics to deprive the Opposition parties of funds and asked how can democracy survive in this situation.
(With PTI inputs)