Modi’s Reaction on Scraping up of the Electoral Bonds: Supreme Court
In a recent interview with news agency ANI, Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed regret over the Supreme Court’s decision to scrap electoral bonds, describing it as a move that would have negative repercussions. He emphasized that the electoral bonds initiative, introduced by his government, aimed to combat the influence of black money in election campaigns. However, he acknowledged there were better solutions. Modi criticized the opposition for spreading falsehoods about the scheme and defended his party against allegations of being the primary beneficiary.
Explaining the rationale behind electoral bonds, Modi highlighted the need to address the issue of black money in elections and ensure transparency in political funding. He admitted that the system had limitations but defended it as a step towards cleaner elections. Modi also addressed other topics, such as the ‘One Nation, One Election’ proposal and allegations of using investigative agencies against political rivals.
The electoral bonds scheme allowed private individuals and corporations to donate anonymously to political parties. However, the Supreme Court declared it unconstitutional because it violated the right to information and equality. Despite this, Modi pointed out that a significant portion of the funds from electoral bonds went to parties other than his own, countering accusations of bias.
Regarding allegations of favouritism towards the ruling party, Modi emphasized improvements in the electoral process, including opposition members in the Election Commission selection panel. He refuted claims of using central agencies to target opponents, stating that only a tiny percentage of cases involved political leaders.
Modi also criticized the Congress party and its manifesto, labelling it as having a “Muslim League imprint.” Overall, the interview covered many topics, providing insights into Modi’s perspective on the country’s critical issues ahead of the Lok Sabha election.
