Congress demands JPC probe into electoral bonds

The Opposition on Thursday protested in both Houses of Parliament over the issuance of the electoral bonds and the privatisation of some public sector units (PSUs) including Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL).

Congress demanded a probe by a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) into the issuance of the electoral bond during the previous regime of the Modi government.

While the grand old party, raising the issues in the Lok Sabha, called the electoral bond scheme as “a big scam”, the Congress’ acting president Sonia Gandhi led a walkout from the House in protest during Zero Hour.

Rajya Sabha was adjourned by the M Venkaiah Naidu till noon as the Congress members joined by those of other Opposition parties were up on their feet demanding suspension of the business for a discussion on the issue of electoral bonds and privatisation of the PSUs.

The Congress, holding a press conference later, demanded a probe by the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) into the issuance of the electoral bond. It also urged the Supreme Court to expeditiously hear the matter and pronounce its “final verdict”.

Raising the issue in the Lok Sabha during Zero Hour, Congress member Manish Tewari accused the Modi government of giving “official cover” to corruption by introducing “opaque” electoral bonds.

He underlined that the government issued the “anonymous” electoral bonds during the previous regime of NDA despite the Reserve bank of India (RBI) and the Election Commission (EC) had objected to the move.

“Before 2017, there was a fundamental structure to control the influence of the rich on Indian politics. With the issuance of the electoral bonds, the government gave an official cover to corruption. Who are the donors, how much money was paid and who got the money?—there is no information available on them,” Tewari said.

As the Congress members referred to the role of the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) in the issuance of the electoral bonds ahead of the Karnataka Assembly polls in 2018, the Lok Sabha speaker Om Birla refused to allow him to speak and asked another member to raise his issue. Congress members protested and staged a walkout, led by Gandhi.

Earlier soon after the Lok Sabha assembled for the day, the Congress members stormed the Well, demanding for a discussion on the electoral bonds. “This is a big scam. The country is being looted. Please allow us to speak,” Congress leader in the Lok Sabha Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury said in the House.