NEW DELHI: A day after Congress was served notices from the income-tax department, asking it to pay Rs 1,823 crore, the grand old party said it got two more “last night”.
Addressing a press conference on Saturday, senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh told reporters, “Two more notices were sent to us last night.”
On Friday the party had received fresh notices from the I-T department, demanding a substantial sum of approximately Rs 1,823 crore.This turn of events unfolded mere hours after the Delhi High Court dismissed the party’s appeals against tax reassessment proceedings.
The notices, issued for the assessment years 2017-18 and 2020-21, included penalties and accrued interest, adding further strain to the financial woes of the opposition stalwart.
Expressing dismay over the latest developments, the Congress lashed out at the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), accusing it of resorting to what it termed as “tax terrorism” in a bid to undermine and financially cripple the party ahead of the crucial Lok Sabha elections.
Later in the day, accusing the Income Tax Department of double-standards, Congress also alleged that while it has been penalised for “a violation of Rs 14 lakh”, the income tax authorities were completely silent on “Rs 42 crore violation” by the BJP and that the violations by the ruling party at the Centre entailed a penalty of Rs 4,600 crore.
Addressing a press conference, Congress leaders said there was an attempt to stifle the party financially during the Lok Sabha polls.
Maken said the Election Commission should ensure a level-playing field. “We have received notices from the time of Sitaram Kesari, from 1993-94… We have been demanded to pay Rs 53 crores from the time of Sitaram Kesari. A total of Rs 1823 crores has been made by the IT department from Congress,” he said.
“We have analysed all violations of the BJP using the same parameters they used to analyse our violations… BJP has a penalty of Rs 4600 crore. The income Tax department should raise a demand from the BJP for the payment of this amount,” he added.
Maken said that efforts are being made to weaken the Congress financially, by freezing the party’s bank account before the Lok Sabha elections.
(With inputs from agencies)
Addressing a press conference on Saturday, senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh told reporters, “Two more notices were sent to us last night.”
On Friday the party had received fresh notices from the I-T department, demanding a substantial sum of approximately Rs 1,823 crore.This turn of events unfolded mere hours after the Delhi High Court dismissed the party’s appeals against tax reassessment proceedings.
The notices, issued for the assessment years 2017-18 and 2020-21, included penalties and accrued interest, adding further strain to the financial woes of the opposition stalwart.
Expressing dismay over the latest developments, the Congress lashed out at the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), accusing it of resorting to what it termed as “tax terrorism” in a bid to undermine and financially cripple the party ahead of the crucial Lok Sabha elections.
Later in the day, accusing the Income Tax Department of double-standards, Congress also alleged that while it has been penalised for “a violation of Rs 14 lakh”, the income tax authorities were completely silent on “Rs 42 crore violation” by the BJP and that the violations by the ruling party at the Centre entailed a penalty of Rs 4,600 crore.
Addressing a press conference, Congress leaders said there was an attempt to stifle the party financially during the Lok Sabha polls.
Maken said the Election Commission should ensure a level-playing field. “We have received notices from the time of Sitaram Kesari, from 1993-94… We have been demanded to pay Rs 53 crores from the time of Sitaram Kesari. A total of Rs 1823 crores has been made by the IT department from Congress,” he said.
“We have analysed all violations of the BJP using the same parameters they used to analyse our violations… BJP has a penalty of Rs 4600 crore. The income Tax department should raise a demand from the BJP for the payment of this amount,” he added.
Maken said that efforts are being made to weaken the Congress financially, by freezing the party’s bank account before the Lok Sabha elections.
(With inputs from agencies)
