Lagatar24 Desk
NEW DELHI: The Congress escalated its criticism of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Sunday, demanding the resignation of Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman following an FIR registered against her concerning the now-defunct electoral bonds scheme. The opposition accused her of undermining democratic processes and called for a Supreme Court-supervised Special Investigation Team (SIT) probe.
Allegations Against Sitharaman
The FIR was filed after a court directive in Bengaluru, initiated by a complaint from Adarsh R Iyer, co-president of ‘Janaadhikaara Sangharsha Parishath’ (JSP). The complaint alleges that Sitharaman, along with Enforcement Directorate (ED) officials and BJP leaders, was involved in an extortion operation disguised as the electoral bonds scheme, accumulating over ₹8,000 crore.
Named in the FIR, Sitharaman, BJP Karnataka chief B Y Vijayendra, and state party leader Nalin Kumar Kateel face charges under extortion (Section 384), criminal conspiracy (120B), and common intention (34) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).
Congress Demands Immediate Resignation
Congress leaders Jairam Ramesh and Abhishek Singhvi publicly condemned the alleged role of Sitharaman in the scheme. Ramesh called for her immediate resignation, asserting that she is “guilty” on political, legal, and moral grounds.
“The Finance Minister should step down without delay,” said Ramesh. “This is more than a legal issue; it’s a direct attack on India’s democratic values.”
Electoral Bonds Scheme Under Severe Scrutiny
The Congress reiterated its demand for a detailed investigation into the electoral bonds scheme, which was recently declared unconstitutional by the Supreme Court. The court found that the scheme violated citizens’ right to information and free speech, threatening the integrity of elections in the country.
Singhvi added, “The key issue here is the need for a level playing field in elections. This scheme strikes at the very heart of democracy, creating an unfair advantage.”
He further branded the scheme as “EBS – Extortionist BJP Scheme,” suggesting that Sitharaman was acting under higher orders from the BJP leadership.
