The Congress has accused the BJP of engaging in corrupt practices following the revelation of data regarding electoral bonds. Congress General Secretary Jairam Ramesh has claimed that the party continues to demand unique bond ID numbers, so that it can precisely match donors to recipients.
In a post on X, Ramesh put out a quick first analysis of the Electoral Bonds (EB)data disclosure that the SBI put out after weeks of attempting to postpone it until after the election. Over 1,300 companies and individuals have donated electoral bonds, including over 6,000 crore to the BJP since 2019, he said.
According to Ramesh, the electoral bonds data has brought to light a minimum of four corrupt tactics employed by the BJP. Specifically, he highlighted the occurrence of quid pro quo instances. Ramesh pointed out numerous cases where companies donated electoral bonds and subsequently received significant governmental benefits. For instance, Megha Engineering & Infra purportedly contributed over Rs. 800 crores through electoral bonds. Allegedly, in April 2023, they made a donation of Rs. 140 crores, and within a month, they were awarded the Rs. 14,400 crore Thane-Borivali Twin Tunnel Project.
Ramesh further asserted that Jindal Steel and Power contributed Rs. 25 crore through electoral bonds on October 7, 2022, and merely three days later, they secured the Gare Palma IV/6 coal mine on October 10, 2022.
He also accused the BJP of employing a Hafta Vasooli strategy, which involves conducting raids through agencies like the Enforcement Directorate (ED), Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), or Income Tax Department (IT), and then demanding hafta (donations) for the protection of companies. Ramesh alleged that at least 14 out of the top 30 donors have been subject to such raids.
Moreover, Ramesh highlighted an earlier investigation's findings, revealing that following raids by the ED/CBI/IT, companies were compelled to donate to the BJP through electoral trusts. He noted that many of these same companies have also made donations through electoral bonds, citing examples such as Hetero Pharma and Yashoda Hospital.
In another instance, Ramesh claimed that Shirdi Sai Electricals was raided by the IT department in December 2023, and in January 2024, they donated Rs. 40 crore through electoral bonds.