The opposition on Monday slammed Prime Minister Narendra Modi over his ‘everyone will regret’ remark on the electoral bonds issue.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi accused Modi of orchestrating this purported “extortion scheme”. “The important thing in electoral bond is- names and dates. If you see the names and dates you will know that when they (donors) gave the electoral bond, right after that contract was given to them or CBI inquiry was withdrawn against them,” the Wayanad MP was quoted by ANI as saying.

During the interview with ANI, PM Modi had said,”There were electoral bonds, so you are getting a trail which company gave, how it gave, where it gave. Whether what happened in the process was good or bad can be an issue of debate.… But today we have completely pushed the country towards black money, hence I say everyone will regret it. When they will think honestly, everyone will regret it.”

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Electoral bonds an extortion scheme and PM Modi masterminded: Gandhi

Rahul Gandhi accused Prime Minister Modi of orchestrating this purported “extortion scheme,” saying,”This is the biggest extortion scheme of the world and PM Modi is the mastermind of it…Ask the PM to explain that one day CBI inquiry starts and immediately after that they get the money and immediately after that CBI inquiry is scrapped.”

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He called for accountability, demanding an explanation for the sequence of events wherein inquiries preceded bond donations and subsequent contract awards.

“Big contracts, infrastructure contracts- the company gives money and immediately after that they are given the contract. The truth is it is extortion and PM Modi has masterminded it,” Gandhi added.

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Opposition goal is to keep skirting around and run away: PM Modi

PM Modi also refuted the allegations and said that out of 3,000 companies that contributed through the scheme, 26 faced scrutiny from investigative bodies like the ED.

He said that 16 of these companies acquired bonds amidst ongoing investigations. “Of these (16 companies) 37 per cent of the amount went to BJP and 63 per cent to opposition parties opposed to BJP.

“There is an ED raid… the work of donating to the opposition, will BJP do this? This means 63 per cent of this amount went to the opposition and you are making allegations against us. Their goal is to keep skirting around and run away,” he said.

Why took electoral bonds from Sarath Chandra Reddy, arrested in alleged liquor scam? asks AAP leader

Delhi minister and AAP leader, Gopal Rai, called electoral bonds “perhaps the biggest scam ever.” Rai pointed fingers at PM Modi’s administration, alleging that funds were received from dubious sources, including companies running losses, through electoral bonds.

“…On one hand, you say that you are fighting against corruption. On the other side…you collected ₹60 crores from Sarath Chandra Reddy – who you arrested in the so-called liquor scam – who will give an account for that? It is being found that electoral bonds were taken from companies that were running into losses. They gave thousands of Rupees. What else is that if not black money?…I think this is perhaps the biggest scam ever, just like the people are saying. I think the PM should clear his stand over it,” Rai said, ANI reported.

‘ED behind Opposition’: TMC

West Bengal minister and TMC leader Shashi Panja said that the Prime Minister’s praise for the ED is expected, given the agency is “chasing every opposition parties”.

Panja said, “Obviously he will praise the ED because on their directions and on their indications, the ED has been chasing every political party which is in opposition to the BJP. So obviously he will claim that they have done a wonderful job,” ANI reported.