The Manipur Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) on Thursday raised concerns over the deliberate concealment of Electoral Bonds’ funding details allegedly by the BJP-led government.
Speaking to the media at the Congress Bhavan in Imphal, MPCC spokesperson N Bupenda highlighted the recent developments surrounding the Supreme Court’s ruling on the constitutionality of the Electoral Bonds’ Scheme and subsequent actions by the State Bank of India (SBI).
Following the Supreme Court’s directive to disclose information regarding electoral bonds, the SBI filed an application seeking an extension till June 30, citing logistical challenges in decoding and compiling data sets. Condemning this delay, Bupenda alleged that it serves to shield BJP’s financial irregularities and potential ties with corporates.
“Why is the need for such a long delay when SBI has been fully digitised?”, he questioned, stating that “SBI will only take a maximum of only one day for decoding and compiling data sets”.
He accused the BJP of disproportionately benefiting from the scheme, with the ruling party reportedly receiving over Rs 6,566 crore out of the total Rs 12,000 crore in contributions, which is 55 per cent of the entire electoral bonds.
Raising questions about fairness and transparency in political funding, he contended that the Electoral Bonds’ Scheme undermines democracy by allowing corporate funding without adequate safeguards or transparency measures.
Emphasising the need for transparency ahead of the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, he stressed the public’s right to access information that influences political decision-making.
Calling upon the Modi government to honor the Supreme Court’s verdict and urging the SBI to disclose electoral bond details promptly, Bupenda asserted that transparency is essential for upholding democratic principles and ensuring fair elections in the country.
