Congress To Stage Nationwide Protest on March 30 Against Income Tax Notice To Party

The Congress party has also accused the BJP of freezing its bank accounts in a tax dispute ahead of the national elections.

New Delhi: The Congress party, India’s main opposition political group, has announced plans to stage a nationwide protest on March 30 against the Income Tax Department’s notice to the party to pay Rs 1,823.08 crore in taxes. The party has accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of significant violations of income tax laws and called on the tax authorities to raise a demand of more than Rs 4,600 crore from the ruling party.

BJP Engages Tax Terrorism: Congress

The Congress party has also accused the BJP of engaging in “tax terrorism” and financially crippling the opposition in the run-up to the Lok Sabha elections. The party has received fresh notices from the income tax department after the Delhi high court dismissed its plea challenging the initiation of tax reassessment proceedings against it for a period of four years.

Ajay Maken Accuses BJP Of Double Standards

Congress party treasurer Ajay Maken has alleged that the BJP is in serious violation of income tax laws and has called on the tax authorities to raise a demand of more than Rs 4,600 crore from the ruling party for these infractions. Maken also accused the BJP of using the income tax department as a proxy to selectively target Congress and allied opposition parties.

Congress Accounts Freezed Ahead Of Lok Sabha Elections

The Congress party has also accused the BJP of freezing its bank accounts in a tax dispute ahead of the national elections. Rahul Gandhi, a former Congress party chief, has said that the party is unable to campaign properly with its accounts frozen, and that its candidates and leaders cannot travel by air or train. The Congress party is awaiting the Supreme Court’s decision on its complaint against the tax department’s demands.

The Congress party has received Rs 1.9 billion in donations in 2017-18 and has accused the BJP of collecting Rs 8,200 crore through what it terms the “electoral bonds scam,” involving alleged bribes and shell companies. The Congress party has not received any relief from the High Court in the case and is likely to move the Supreme Court.

Congress Nationwide Protest Impact

Nationwide protests by political parties like the Indian National Congress have earlier been used to draw attention to specific issues, voice dissent, and mobilise public opinion against government policies or actions. These protests can create pressure on the ruling government to address the concerns raised by the opposition party.

1. The aim of the Congress party’s nationwide protest is to address what they perceive as a “tax terrorism” move by the Income Tax Department, particularly in response to the fresh income tax demand of over Rs 1,800 crore.
2. The protest aims to draw attention to what the Congress party considers to be baseless and manufactured grounds for the Income Tax Department’s demands, totaling thousands of crores of rupees.
3. Additionally, the protest seeks to highlight the alleged violations of income tax laws by the BJP and the freezing of the Congress party’s bank accounts, which they claim is an undemocratic action by the Income Tax Department.