"Systematic Effort By PM To Cripple Congress Financially": Sonia Gandhi

The allegation comes weeks before the Lok Sabha elections.

Levelling a serious allegation against the government weeks before the Lok Sabha election, former Congress president Sonia Gandhi has said the Prime Minister has made a systematic effort to cripple the party financially. The same charge was made by senior leader Rahul Gandhi as well.

Addressing a press conference on Thursday, Mrs Gandhi said, "The issue we are taking up today is extremely serious. This issue affects not just the Indian National Congress, but our democracy itself, most fundamentally.  A systematic effort is underway by the Prime Minister to cripple the Indian National Congress financially. Funds collected from the public are being frozen and money from our accounts is being taken away forcibly."

The former Congress president's statement was a reference to the party's claim last month that the Income Tax Department had frozen Rs 115 crore in its bank accounts following a tax demand of Rs 210 crore as dues and penalty for the financial year 2018-19.