Electoral Bonds: Congress’s Web of Deceit

Electoral Bonds represented a pivotal shift towards transparency in political financing, aiming to curb the influence of black money in India’s democratic process. However, the Supreme Court’s decision to invalidate them not only undermines efforts to clean up the system but also serves as a lifeline to the entrenched culture of opacity and corruption, particularly championed by the Congress party.

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यः सर्वदा द्वेषं धारयति, स एकः मधुरहीनो मधुकरः विचलति।

The one who harbors constant negativity goes astray like a bee without honey

The Gandhis established a system where their associates were awarded in exchange for political contributions, forming the primary source of income for their Congress party. These contributions were predominantly made in cash, rendering the tracing of donors virtually impossible. This intricately designed system effectively ensured that the Congress party, under the leadership of the Gandhis, received funds while keeping its donors anonymous, thereby avoiding any direct links to quid pro quos.

Introduction: India, the largest democracy globally, has long been under the dominance of a single Gandhi-Nehru dynasty, which turned the nation into their personal jagir. Over the decades, they meticulously constructed and maintained an ecosystem tailored to their interests, manipulating narratives through control over key communication channels such as the media, academia, bureaucracy, and more, thus shaping a favorable image for themselves.

With the Congress party firmly controlling all essential sources of information dissemination, the truth remained a well-guarded secret, shielded from public scrutiny. Even when morsels of truth did manage to surface, they were artfully sugarcoated and downplayed by the party’s propaganda machinery, rendering them seemingly inconsequential by their carefully curated ecosystem. Consequently, we, the people, were systematically deprived of the harsh realities, and continued to naively cling to the hope that the Gandhi-Nehru lineage would one day alleviate our suffering and lead us to prosperity. Yet, the Gandhis prioritized their own enrichment and that of their cronies, continuously disregarding the plight of the ordinary citizens of our nation.

Narendra Modi, backed by a full majority, was able to take several decisive actions to promote transparency and clamp down on the use of black money. These actions, long overdue since the inception of independence, were finally realized after 67 years. Narendra Modi spearheaded various measures to combat black money, introduction of Electoral Bonds for political funding was just one of them.

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Questions for the Milords: Electoral bonds were introduced to replace traditional cash-based political funding with a system that exclusively relied on cheque or digital transactions. This shift ensured that all contributions were traceable and accounted for, eliminating the possibility of black money being used in political funding. By mandating transactions through formal banking channels, electoral bonds enhanced transparency and accountability, as every donation made through them left a clear audit trail, eliminating the risk of black money entering the political sphere. Donations facilitated by electoral bonds left a clear audit trail, with both the donors and recipients mandated to document these transactions in their balance sheets. Furthermore, stringent auditing procedures were in place for both parties to uphold transparency and accountability in the electoral funding system.

Furthermore, it’s commendable that alongside the implementation of Electoral Bonds, the Modi government demonstrated its commitment to transparency and accountability by significantly reducing the threshold for anonymous cash donations to political parties from ₹20,000 to ₹2,000. This move reflects Prime Minister Modi’s unwavering dedication to fostering a cleaner, and a more accountable political funding system.

The Supreme Court invalidated Electoral Bonds, citing the necessity for the general public to be informed about the donors to each political party.

The Supreme Court’s decision plunges us back into an era where political parties thrived on cash donations, exploiting anonymity allowed for donations under the ₹20,000 threshold. It was an era where countless payments of ₹19,999 in cash could be made, perpetuating the shadowy realm of cash donations infamous for their murky ties to untraceable black money.

It is also crucial to note that while only Indian citizens could buy Electoral Bonds ― making their donations traceable; cash donations could come from anywhere without a trace. The secret Memorandum of Understanding between the Congress party and the Chinese thus raises suspicions that funding might be involved in exchange for favors. This connection hints at potential corruption and also questions the Congress party’s integrity and loyalty towards the nation.

Before the advent of Electoral Bonds, studies indicated that only 16% of political party funds came from identifiable sources. The Congress party notably received the highest portion of funding from undisclosed origins, with 83% originating from unknown sources. However, following the implementation of Electoral Bonds, data from FY 2022-23 suggests a complete reverse, with nearly 75% of political funding can be traced back through accountable channels. In fact, data from FY 2022-23 compellingly demonstrates that the BJP received a mere 3% of its donations from untraceable sources, underscoring its commitment to transparency.

It is also quite ironic that the Congress opposes Electoral Bonds, considering that during their UPA regime, they established a system of “Electoral Trusts.” Under this system, donors could contribute to these trusts, which then determined how to distribute the funds among political parties, ensuring donor anonymity. However, the downside was that donors had no control over which party received their donations; the trusts had the final say. This arrangement could potentially subject the trusts to pressure, coercing them to favor the Congress in exchange for government contracts or to avoid punitive actions for any misconduct.

Even more ironic is the Supreme Court’s lack of concern regarding Electoral Trusts, which not only curtail donors’ rights but also prevent the public from knowing which organizations have donated to which political parties — a reason cited for scrapping Electoral Bonds. While Electoral Bonds have been scrapped, Electoral Trusts continue to operate unabated.

Consequences of Milord’s Absurdity: In Bengal, BJP supporters have been brutally attacked, molested, raped and even murdered. In addition, support for BJP has also resulted in businesses being boycotted, leaving them struggling for livelihoods. In Kerala, individuals associated with the BJP’s parent organization, the RSS, have faced similar attacks solely due to their ideological affiliations. This grim reality extends to several opposition-ruled states as well. For example, in Maharashtra, during the tenure of the Congress-MVA government spanning just 2.5 years, numerous BJP social media supporters were reportedly assaulted, arrested, and harassed solely for expressing criticism of the MVA. Allegations even surfaced of a minister purportedly dragging a BJP supporter to his residence and subjecting him to severe physical assault. Additionally, reports suggest, a prominent industrialist was allegedly subjected to bomb threats in an attempt to coerce him into funding the MVA. Given these circumstances, does the current situation in opposition-ruled states make it wise to disclose the names of donors? Do the milords take guarantee of the safety of the Indians who have supported the BJP?

The Supreme Court’s ruling, in fact, is what actually flagrantly undermines transparency, places innocent Indian lives at risk, jeopardizes business interests, and contributes to derailing India’s growth trajectory. This egregious disregard for rationality lays bare the utter absurdity of the court’s judgment.

Speculation Slugfest: The recent Supreme Court ruling has swiftly become a tool for the Congress ecosystem to sabotage India’s growth narrative. Recognizing their inability to match Modi’s development record, with his decade of achievements eclipsing their 60 years, Congress’ sole agenda is to derail this trajectory. They show little concern for the negative impact their actions have on Indians; their sole obsession is regaining power to enrich themselves to feed their insatiable greed.

The opposition, led by the Congress, salivated at the prospect of unearthing Adani and Ambani’s names in the BJP’s donor list following the Supreme Court’s mandate for disclosure. However, their dreams crumbled when these names were nowhere to be found, leaving the opposition humiliated and licking their wounds.

But this led to the activation of the Congress ecosystem, which targeted businesses that have secured government contracts, alleging that they provided funding to the BJP in return. The ecosystem is currently concocting endless theories that may gain traction on WhatsApp or social media but hold no sway in the real world. Examples cited are purely false, are mere conjectures or vague references to companies donating amounts exceeding their profits.

While each of their allegations can be systematically debunked, the central argument remains: if electoral bonds are supposedly purchased in exchange for government contracts, why does this narrative exclusively target the BJP and not the opposition? After all, the opposition also governs many states across the country. Given the track record of the Congress and its alliance partners, which reveals a pattern of scams surfacing with disappointing regularity, particularly during the UPA government, it is the Congress that should be held accountable, not the BJP. Furthermore, if the opposition truly believed Electoral Bonds meant corruption, why did they opt to redeem these bonds? It is worth noting that accepting Electoral Bonds was not obligatory; recipients had the choice to redeem them, only if they wanted to. Despite this freedom, Congress and the opposition chose to redeem them. This is a classic example of ‘mera kutta tommy, tera kutta kutta’.

For those committed to irrational hatred against the Modi government, electoral bonds are the “biggest scam in the world. Yet, for the rational observer, Electoral Bonds, though not perfect, were undoubtedly the most effective measure for enhancing transparency in political funding.

Exposing the Lies: The following section systematically dismantles the absurdity and lies behind every allegation. Modi’s detractors, who incessantly shift their goalposts and even then stumble at every argument, will be left to marinate in their own cesspool of ignorance and folly.

Let’s be blunt: most of these individuals are clueless about how Electoral Bonds actually operated. Electoral Bonds were only accessible for purchase on 40 out of 365 days in a year. So, branding any contracts obtained by companies after these donations as suspect is downright foolish. Their illogical reasoning is further compounded by their attempt to insinuate a quid pro quo even for contracts secured months later, even when a recent window to purchase bonds was available. It is hard to determine if the Pidis’ actions are driven by sheer foolishness, their habitual resort to whataboutery, or their consistent compulsive behaviour to propagate false narratives against Modi, all in a desperate bid to regain power and line their own pockets. These pathetic attempts reek of their insatiable thirst for power and self-interest, regardless of the consequences for the nation.

The Congress-led opposition, their blind followers, and Modi haters thrive on fabricating and disseminating malicious falsehoods. Here’s a detailed expose shredding their web of lies.

Given the track record of the Congress and its alliance partners, which reveals a pattern of scams surfacing with disappointing regularity, particularly during the UPA government, it is the Congress that should be held accountable, not the BJP. Furthermore, if the opposition truly believed Electoral Bonds meant corruption, why did they opt to redeem these bonds?

Quid Pro Quo: Since 2014, the Congress has relentlessly tried to accuse the Modi government of corruption, yet not a single charge has stuck. With Electoral Bonds, these charlatans promised their Pidis a treasure trove of incriminating evidence which would prove a quid pro quo. For the past decade, the Congress ecosystem spun endless conspiracy theories about Adani and Ambani bankrolling the BJP in exchange of securing government contracts. These baseless claims have been repeated so often that they’ve become a matter of blind faith for Pidis. They were convinced that the evidence they yearned for would finally surface through the disclosure of Electoral Bonds. Yet, when the files were opened, the names they so desperately sought were nowhere to be found. Their disappointment is palpable, yet they remain ensnared in their delusional narratives, unable to face the truth.

A lot of hype has been stirred up about the BJP receiving ₹6,000 crore through Electoral Bonds, insinuating a quid pro quo where donations are exchanged for government contracts. However, despite holding 303 Lok Sabha seats, 17 state governments, and party units in every state and union territory, the BJP received only 37% of the total donations through Electoral Bonds, while the opposition raked in a staggering 63%. The opposition, which also controls multiple state governments, seems to be the real beneficiary here. If the BJP is accused of trading government contracts for donations, what does this say about the opposition? With a 37% to 63% split, it appears the opposition is not just complicit but twice as greedy and corrupt.

Even when considering just the parliamentary strength, opposition parties have received much more than the BJP. The BRS got a whopping 114 crore per MP, BJD received 64 crore, TMC 50 crore, and even the Congress got 23 crores compared to the BJP’s 22 crore. One can’t help but wonder, if there’s any truth to the quid pro quo allegations, doesn’t the opposition look even more guilty than the BJP?

An example cited to bolster their quid pro quo narrative is that of Megha Engineering securing Thane-Borivali twin tunnel project. It is imperative to underscore that the company secured its contract through a rigorous and transparent bidding process. But let’s face it, most of these ignoramuses raising a ruckus likely couldn’t tell a bid from a banana. During the bidding process, companies submit their proposals online, ensuring confidentiality until bids are unsealed. Consequently, there is no knowledge of the amounts quoted by competing entities. In this case, only Megha Engineering and L&T participated, with Megha Engineering ultimately securing the contract. L&T even challenged Megha Engineering in courts, but the judicial system upheld Megha’s bid.

The ironic twist is, Megha Engineering has been caught making undisclosed transfers to the Congress party. The Delhi High Court has already spilled the beans on the shady dealings between Congress and Megha Engineering, exposing how Congress has been receiving ‘unaccounted money’ through various means. What is even more amusing is that the Congress has also managed to pocket a hefty ₹126 crore through Electoral Bonds from Megha Engineering.

If we follow the Pidis’ flawed logic, it seems the real culprit behind any quid pro quo would be the Congress, not the BJP. The shady dealings and unaccounted money flowing from Megha Engineering to Congress, combined with the hefty ₹126 crore pocketed through Electoral Bonds, paint a damning picture for them. Is this why Congress is so eager to revert to cash donations? It seems they want to line their pockets with cash in exchange for doling out government contracts without leaving a trace.

Electoral Bonds, despite their criticisms, offer a much-needed layer of transparency and accountability in political funding, making it harder for such corrupt practices to thrive.

Raiding Raid Allegations: The level of allegations becomes increasingly laughable as the Pidis desperately scramble to find any link to prove Modi corrupt. Their sleepless nights and constant failures have clearly taken a toll on their sanity. They can’t even keep track of their own accusations from just a few hours ago.

For example, Ghar Se Nikalte Hi Pidis claimed that Kalpataru Group donated to BJP three months after raids to avoid further punitive action. Kuch Door Chalte Hi they try to corner Modi with Dr. Reddy’s, alleging the company donated to BJP in 2019 to prevent raids in 2023. Chit Bhi Meri, Pat Bhi Meri. The sheer irony and stupidity of these arguments is beyond belief. This level of delusion is not just alarming — it is pathetically laughable and a glaring testament to their desperate, brain-dead attempts to smear Modi.

As if these delusions weren’t enough to prove the Pidis’ insanity, AAP held a press conference alleging Avon Cycles donated to BJP following raids. In reality, Avon Cycles didn’t donate a single paisa to BJP; their donations actually flowed to AAP.

To put things in perspective, a simple Google check shows that the Enforcement Directorate (ED) carried out over 3,000 raids since 2014. Only 26 companies that were raided also bought Electoral Bonds. Of these 26, just 16 bought bonds close to the time they were raided. And from the companies that were raided and also bought electoral bonds, a mere 37% went to the BJP, while the other 63% went to the opposition. What kind of “extortion” is this? This just goes to show that Modi is as lousy an extortionist as he is a “dictator.”

Loss-Making Donations: The Pidis need to sharpen their pencils and get their facts straight. Or perhaps it is their deceitful nature that is responsible, leading them to spread malicious lies against the BJP, falsely asserting that loss-making companies have donated to the party. However, the truth is a far cry from their fabricated tales.

First the basics.

Companies often have accumulated reserves and surpluses from previous profitable years. Thus, even if a company is currently operating at a loss, it might still possess substantial cash reserves from earlier profits. Additionally, a company may report an accounting loss while maintaining positive cash flows. In some instances, a loss-making company might be a subsidiary of a parent company that is generating profits. To term every donating company as corrupt without delving into specifics is either pure laziness or a deliberate ploy to spread a fake narrative aimed at harming the BJP during election time.

The laughable irony here is that their accusation backfires spectacularly, as usual. One example they trot out to smear Modi is Future Gaming.

Future Gaming donated ₹1365 crore through Electoral Bonds. Out of this, ₹542 crore went to TMC, ₹503 crore to DMK, ₹50 crore to Congress, and only ₹100 crore to BJP. So, the opposition greedily pocketed a staggering 92% of the donations from this loss-making company.

If the opposition is so concerned about loss-making companies donating money, why did they shamelessly accept this money? What backroom deals did they strike to fill their coffers? Their hypocrisy is not just glaring, it’s downright nauseating. If they are so virtuous, why didn’t they refuse this dirty money? The opposition’s deceit and double-standards know no bounds.

Related: Bharat Jodo: Hate for the Hindu

Conclusion: Congress and its allies consistently rely on deceit and manipulation to mislead the nation and gain power. Their relentless and baseless allegations against Modi are a smokescreen to distract from their own corruption and failures. They think they can fool the people with lies and fabricated stories, but their track record of scams, unaccounted money, and shady dealings only exposes their true nature. The desperation and hypocrisy of Congress is evident, and it is clear they will stoop to any level, spreading falsehoods and engaging in dirty tricks, just to regain power to continue their legacy of corruption and incompetence.

With nearly 23 years of leadership at both state and national levels, not a single corruption allegation has surfaced against Narendra Modi. In stark contrast, Congress regimes have been marred by endless scandals and frauds. Their rhetoric on Electoral Bonds reflects their own tainted history, not Modi’s impeccable track record.

Electoral bonds provided anonymity but not immunity from breaking the law. They didn’t allow someone to drive in a truckload of cash and buy bonds without disclosing their identity. Judicial activism on Electoral Bonds has resulted into preferring the worse over the better. In their zeal to look good, the judiciary has effectively ensured that the identities of the donor, the recipient, and the amount donated will remain undisclosed. Instead of enhancing the system, this so-called progress is more like jumping from the frying pan into the fire.