The Congress, on Friday, accused the BJP of indulging in "tax terrorism" to financially cripple the opposition party ahead of the Lok Sabha polls.
Earlier in the day, the party said it received fresh notices from the I-T department, asking it to pay Rs 1,823.08 crore for assessment years 2017-18 and 2020-21, and included penalty and interest.
Addressing a press conference, party treasurer Ajay Maken alleged that the BJP is in serious violation of income-tax laws and added that the I-T department should raise a demand of Rs 4,617.58 crore from the ruling party for such violations.
He said political parties have to fill up a proforma of Form 24A, in which two basic and important pieces of information have to be furnished—the names and addresses of their donors. "We have analysed all the submissions of the BJP to the Election Commission (EC). The party has faltered every year."
Maken claimed that Congress and other like-minded opposition parties are being selectively targeted by the I-T department.
"An illegal attempt to freeze the bank accounts of the principal opposition party in February has gone on for more than a month on the eve of the general election," he said.
Before the dust could settle on that unprecedented "vindictive" action, in an "illegal and undemocratic" move, the "frontal organisation of the BJP" has launched its next "premeditated" and "diabolical" campaign against the Congress, Maken added.
Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh alleged that through the "electoral bonds scam", the BJP collected Rs 8,200 crore and used the "route of pre-paid, post-paid, post-raid bribes and shell companies".
Further, he accused the saffron party of engaging in "tax terrorism". "Efforts are being made to financially cripple the Congress, but we are not going to be cowed down," he added.
"We will not be scared of these notices. We will be more aggressive and fight these polls," he said.
Rahul Gandhi's guarantee
Reacting to the IT notice, party leader Rahul Gandhi said when the government changes after the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, action will be initiated against those who assaulted democracy.
Taking to X, Gandhi said exemplary action would be initiated to ensure that such steps would not be taken by government agencies and added that this is his “guarantee.”
Nationwide protest
The party also said it will stage a nationwide protest against the notice on Saturday.
Party general secretary organisation K.C. Venugopal directed all the state units to hold demonstrations at PCC headquarters and at district Congress Committee headquarters on the issue.
