IIOJK Congress protests against Indian govt, SBI over electoral bonds issue
‘Modi using India’s largest bank to hide its dubious dealings’
Jammu: The Congress chapter in Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir held a strong protest demonstration in Jammu against Modi government and State Bank of India (SBI) over the issue of non-disclosure of requisite information regarding electoral bonds, as per orders of the Indian Supreme Court.
According to Kashmir Media Service, the Indian SC on February 15 struck down as unconstitutional and manifestly arbitrary the electoral bonds scheme. It ordered the SBI to provide the details to the Election Commission by March 6 of all electoral bond contributions received by political parties. However, two days before the deadline, the bank approached the SC seeking time till June 30 to comply with the direction. It is believed that the Modi government pressured the SBI to approach the top court as the deadline would fall after the Lok Sabha elections which will likely be held in April-May.
In Jammu, the protest demonstration by Congress was held at Shaheedi Chowk in which large number of senior leaders and activists participated. Working president IIOJK Congress chapter Raman Bhalla led the demonstration.
Raising slogans against the Modi government and the SBI, the Congress leaders said that New Delhi was pressurizing the SBI to seek more time of five months in order to hide the vital information about its dubious dealings from the general public.
Bhalla lashed out at the BJP govt for hiding the vital information from the public before elections since the Supreme Court has held the scheme as illegal and unconstitutional. He said that the disclosure will expose the Modi-led government and corporate nexus as well as large scale illegalities and irregularities.
He questioned why the SBI was not sharing information about 22000 electoral bonds in line with the directions of the country’s top court, adding that it was deliberate attempt by SBI on the instructions of Modi government.
The IIOJK Congress chapter spokesperson Ravinder Sharma hit out at the Modi government for pressurising SBI not to share information as per Apex Court directions and termed it serious issue. He said that the Supreme Court judgment has vindicated Congress stand and exposed BJP over the legalized corruption and loot through electoral bonds scheme.
Similar protests were held at Kathua, Udhampur and some other places in Jammu region.
