‘Will Rahul Gandhi return electoral bonds received by Congress?’: Devendra Fadnavis

Devendra Fadnavis speaks to reporters after the state cabinet meeting (file photo)

Mumbai:

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Saturday hit back at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for criticizing the BJP’s electoral bond scheme and Ask the BJP if it will return the bonds it has received.

He said Gandhi was critical of electoral bonds because the scheme blocked sources of black money from financing elections for Gandhi’s party.

Rahul Gandhi, whose Bharat Choudan Nyayatra will conclude in Mumbai on Saturday, has been targeting the Narendra Modi-led central government over the electoral bond scheme. He called the plan a blackmail used by the BJP to topple the government and break up the party.

Mr Fadnavis told reporters after a state cabinet meeting: “The BJP is the largest party with 303 MPs, so we get 30 per cent of the total bond amount, while other opposition parties including the Congress Obtained 70% bond.”

“Will Rahul Gandhi return the electoral bonds received by the Congress party? Who is the party threatening to get the funds?” asked Mr Fadnavis.

The BJP leader said electoral bonds are accounted funds shown in the balance sheets of political parties and corporates.

“If there are any loopholes in the scheme, the courts will fix them,” the former prime minister said.

“Rahul Gandhi’s outburst is because his party’s sources of black money have been seized. Congress wants black money to fund elections,” he claimed.

Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, who was present at the press conference, said Mr Gandhi did not have any issues to talk about.

“He has no right to speak out against Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Only the ‘Modi Assurance’ is valid in India and people know it. There is no option but him. Rahul Gandhi on Modi’s popularity across the world Level of discomfort,” he said.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)