BJP must disclose source of poll funding: Cong

Tribune News Service

Shimla, April 23

Questioning the huge election funding by the BJP, former Union minister and Rajya Sabha MP Anand Sharma today said it is not any corporate house but the saffron party which has emerged as the biggest advertiser in the country.

Addressing a press conference here today, Sharma claimed that the BJP regime had spent almost Rs 4,000 crore on advertisements from January 15 till the announcement of elections on March 10.

“I want to question the BJP on the source of its massive election funding when international agencies monitoring election spending have indicated that the BJP spent almost Rs 30,000 crore in the 2014 parliamentary elections,” he alleged.

He took Modi to task for politicising the Army which, he said, was an insult to country’s valiant soldiers who make the supreme sacrifice for the nation. “The army takes on the enemies under the tricolor and not as Modi’s army as the PM is trying to project,” he remarked.

The Congress leader said the Prime Minister was misleading the nation by making false claims and avoiding a discussion on relevant issues, which concern the masses. “He is answerable to the nation on the issue of failed promises like creation of two crore jobs annually, bringing back black money from abroad, women’s security, tackling agricultural distress and ensuring growth,” he said.

Sharma alleged misuse of government machinery and targeting of opposition leaders by way of income tax raids during elections.

“He is in the habit of insulting his political opponents, criticizing his predecessor Prime Ministers. This does not behove a PM,” he remarked. He said there can be difference of ideology and thinking but your political opponents cannot be your enemy like the Prime Minister thinks.

Terming the statement by Modi on India ready with 18 nuclear missiles, Sharma cautioned him to speak with a greater degree of responsibility and not like the head of a rogue state, who keeps threatening the world on the basis of its nuclear strength.

He said the Indian economy was in distress with unemployment being at an all-time high in the last 45 years. “Demonetisation resulted in loss of Rs 3 lakh crore while there was loss of four crore jobs in the small and medium scale industry,” he said.

“The PM is known for making incorrect statements and the most glaring example of it is his claim that the GST means one nation one tax whereas the reality is that there are five slabs of GST and 45 per cent of the revenue base of tax is outside the GST,” he said.