Karnataka: CM Siddaramaiah urges EC to allow Congress to use bank accounts frozen by IT department

Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], March 21 : Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah hit out at the BJP government at the centre and compared it to modern-day Asura. He urged the Election Commission to direct the concerned authorities and allow Congress to use the bank accounts ahead of the parliamentary polls, frozen by the Income Tax Department.
CM Siddaramaiah said, "In an unprecedented move that undermines the very pillars of our democracy, the Income Tax Department has frozen the bank accounts of the Congress. This unjustified action has been strategically timed just two months before crucial election campaigns, severely crippling the party's ability to contest effectively. The Election Commission should direct the concerned authorities to allow Congress to use the bank accounts."
He alleged that this is not merely an administrative measure but it is a calculated assault on democracy itself.
"This deliberate act has resulted in significant operational handicaps for the party, from restricting mobility to curtailing essential campaign activities such as advertising and constituency outreach," he said.
The CM said that it is crucial to recognize that this manoeuvre does more than just target a single political entity. It undermines the democratic right of every Indian citizen to a free and fair electoral process. The timing and nature of these actions suggest a distressing pattern of using state apparatus for political gains, thereby setting a dangerous precedent for the future of Indian democracy.
"In the great saga of India, the BJP has assumed the role of modern-day Asuras, harnessing the Shakti of agencies like IT, ED, and CBI as weapons against democracy. Their power, strengthened by alliances with entities like Adani, starkly contrasts with the authentic Shakti of India's people. This BJP's slide towards autocracy is a direct assault on our democratic spirit. The time has come for the true Shakti of India, residing in its citizens, to confront this menace. Our nation's soul is at stake, demanding a resurgence of democratic Shakti to reclaim its essence," he added.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Thursday lashed out at the Centre and asserted that there is "no democracy" in India today, alleging that the idea that India is a democracy is a lie.
The Congress MP asserted that by blocking the accounts of the largest opposition party the BJP had caused great damage to Indian democracy.
"This is a criminal action on the Congress party, a criminal action done by the Prime Minister and the Home Minister. So, the idea that India is a democracy is a lie. There is no democracy in India today. The idea that India is the world's largest democracy is a lie. A complete lie," he said.