Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s claim of being untainted by corruption has fallen apart with the publication of partial data of electoral bond purchase, Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) acting president M.M. Hassan has said. The biggest loot in Indian history has been carried out under the garb of electoral bonds. Massive corruption has taken place through electoral bonds in most of the big projects awarded by the Modi government, he alleged.
Citing the case of a company founded by BJP Rajya Sabha MP from Andhra Pradesh, C.M. Ramesh, which purchased electoral bonds worth ₹45 crore in two tranches soon after it bagged a ₹1,098-crore hydroelectric project in Himachal Pradesh, he said that there have been several cases of quid pro quo through electoral bonds. Several companies were forced to purchase electoral bonds under threat of raids from the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), he said.
Mr. Hassan also alleged that major drug companies which were evading taxes bought bonds en masse in 2022. These are the companies that made billions by squeezing the people during the post-pandemic period. At least 30 companies have bought bonds worth ₹900 crore. Megha Engineering and Infrastructures Ltd (MEIL), which contributed ₹1,186 crore, was awarded the ₹14,400-crore contract to construct the Thane-Borivali twin tunnel project, while lottery King Santiago Martin who donated the highest amount of ₹1,368 crore, was raided both by ED and the Income Tax Department. The details of Adani and Reliance companies, which have benefited the most under the current government, are yet to emerge. The electoral bond scam will be widely scrutinised during the election campaign, said Mr. Hassan.
Published - March 17, 2024 07:36 pm IST
