Electoral Bonds Controversy: Amit Shah Slams Rahul Gandhi, Asks Opposition Too Got Money, Is It Extortion?

Union Home Minister and senior BJP leader Amit Shah on Friday slammed Congress over the Electoral Bond's donation controversy. Talking to the media, Amit Shah attacked Congress MP Rahul Gandhi for his 'extortion' remark, saying that the Opposition parties too have accepted the money through electoral bonds. Shah asked Opposition has also taken money from people, is it extortion?

The latter's comments came in response to Rahul Gandhi's "champion of corruption" at Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Earlier, Rahul Gandhi had also termed the electoral bonds system as the "world's biggest extortion scheme" run by the BJP.

Coming heavily at Congress leader, Shah said, "Their parties have also received donations through bonds. Is that extortion as well? Rahul Gandhi must tell the people, yes, we have also extorted. And the donation they have received in proportion to the number of MPs is more than what we got. They don't have an issue, there is no allegation of corruption against us. So they are trying to create confusion. They won't be successful."

Amidst the poll season, the Supreme Court on February 15 had pronounced the electoral bonds scheme illegal citing a violation of citizens' right to information. The five-judge bench headed by CJI DY Chandrachud had said the electoral bonds scheme is unconstitutional and arbitrary, which may result in a quid-pro-quo between political parties and people giving donations to them.

The apex court had also directed the State Bank of India and the Election Commission of India to share the purchase and encashment data on their website, after which, it was learned that BJP received maximum funds of Rs 6,986.5 crore through electoral bonds since 2018.

Followed by Mamata Banerjee's Trinamool Congress at Rs 1,397 crore and Congress received Rs 1,334 crore through now scrapped electoral bonds.

The Opposition has been targetting the government calling it the biggest scam of the decade and Rahul Gandhi alleged Prime Minister Narendra Modi as its mastermind.