Congress' accounts frozen to cripple it financially ahead of polls Shaktisinh Gohil

Ahmedabad, Mar 22 (PTI) Gujarat Congress president Shaktisinh Gohil on Friday alleged the Narendra Modi government froze the party's bank accounts to cripple it financially ahead of Lok Sabha polls.
Addressing a press conference, Gohil claimed the party does not have money for poll campaigning because the Union government seized Rs 115.321 crore by freezing 11 bank accounts in a seven year old Income Tax matter.
"In the past, India was known for upholding democratic values by providing a level playing field to every party. But the BJP government has tarnished that golden image of our country, which is evident from articles being published in the international newspapers about the current state of affairs in India," said Gohil.
"Since BJP has realised it cannot win this election, it has resorted to such undemocratic ways to stop the Congress. The government opened a seven-year-old case and froze 11 of our bank accounts. We have also been slapped with a penalty of Rs 210 crore. Why this action just ahead of the poll? This is a conspiracy to stop Congress," he alleged.
The party is running out of time because even if it approaches court, the polls would be over by the time judgement comes, he claimed.
"There has to be a level-playing field in politics. The BJP is sitting on a fund of Rs 8,200 crore while Congress has nothing in hand at present. But, such tactics will not lower our strength. We are confident people will give us votes as well as funds," Gohil asserted.
Earlier on Thursday, former party chief Sonia Gandhi along with Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi addressed a press conference on the same issue in Delhi.
Accusing Prime Minister Narendra Modi of crippling the Congress financially, Sonia Gandhi had demanded that the party be given access to its bank accounts to ensure a level playing field in the run up to the Lok Sabha polls.

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)