Congress leader Rahul Gandhi criticized the Electoral bonds as the “largest extortion scheme” globally, alleging Prime Minister Modi’s involvement. Gandhi’s comments followed PM Modi’s interview where he accused opposition parties of spreading falsehoods about the scheme, recently invalidated by the Supreme Court. Gandhi highlighted instances where donors received contracts or had inquiries withdrawn after contributing bonds, implicating PM Modi.
Additionally, Gandhi claimed that significant contracts were awarded to donors shortly after the BJP received funds through electoral bonds, insinuating corruption. In response, PM Modi defended the scheme, stating its intent to curb black money in elections. He acknowledged the need for improvement but emphasized its role in transparent political funding.
He also mentioned the bipartisan support the scheme received during parliamentary debates. The Supreme Court had earlier deemed the electoral bonds unconstitutional, prompting the State Bank of India to halt their issuance. The Election Commission of India subsequently published data on electoral bonds as per the court’s directive.