As Lok Sabha elections near, the Congress party has announced plans for nationwide protests on Saturday and Sunday in response to the fresh income tax demand of over Rs 1,800 crore, characterizing this demand as an “egregious attack” on democracy and labelling it as “tax terrorism”.
In his letter to all PCC presidents, Congress legislature party leaders, AICC general secretaries, in-charges and heads of frontal organisations, Venugopal said, “As you are well aware, the systematic process to thwart Indian Democracy by the BJP proceeds at an alarming rate. An illegal attempt to freeze the bank accounts of the principal national opposition party the Indian National Congress last month in February has gone on for over a month on the eve of the national general election.”
“Yesterday, we received fresh notices from the IT department to pay Rs 1823.08 crores. Already the IT department has forcibly taken away Rs 135 crores from our Bank account,” he added.
“Now in a patently illegal and undemocratic action, the Income Tax Department has launched its next premeditated, diabolical campaign against the INC. Eight years of Income Tax returns of the INC have been reopened on baseless, manufactured grounds to levy patently illegal Income Tax Demand orders totalling thousands of crores of rupees,” he further said.
This is nothing but a blatant and naked attack on the very principals of democracy, Venugopal said.
“In light of this egregious attack on democracy and the imposition of tax terrorism on our party amidst the crucial Lok Sabha Elections, All Pradesh Congress Committees (PCCs) are requested to hold massive public demonstrations at the State and District headquarters in their respective states tomorrow and the following day, involving senior leaders and party functionaries,” he said.
Massive protest demonstrations shall be held in all constituencies, led by our party candidates. Protest demonstrations, including Mashal Juloos, shall be conducted in all districts by the District Congress Committees, Venugopal asked.
Tagging Venugopal’s letter, Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said, “As is known the world over, the BJP is out to financially eliminate the Congress and has filed multiple frivolous cases against us right on the eve of elections.” “Against this action, all PCCs will be protesting across the country tomorrow, in every district. This is not about our party alone, it is a systematic bludgeoning of the people’s voice. And the people will revolt,” Ramesh said.
Meanwhile, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi accused the BJP on Friday of indulging in “tax terrorism” by misusing probe agencies and warned it, saying when the government changes, such exemplary action will be taken that no one will dare to do such things again.
In a post on X, Gandhi shared a video of his press conference held on March 15 where he answered a query relating to the income-tax notices issued against the Congress and used the hashtag “#BJPTaxTerrorism” with it.
“When the government changes, action will definitely be taken against those who have disrobed democracy. And such exemplary action will be taken that no one will dare to do all this again. This is my guarantee,” the former Congress chief said in his post in Hindi on X.
The seven-phase polls were announced on March 16, with voting scheduled between April 19 and June 1.