Former Congress president Sonia Gandhi on Thursday accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government of trying to “cripple” the party financially by freezing its bank accounts ahead of the Lok Sabha elections. Making a rare appearance at a press conference in New Delhi, Sonia Gandhi said the issue affects not just the Indian National Congress but “impacts our democracy itself most fundamentally”. (Also Read: ‘No level playing field for Lok Sabha polls’: Congress points to electoral bonds, freezing of accounts)

Last month, the income tax (IT) department blocked ₹65 crore from Congress’ current accounts against the lien of ₹210 crore imposed on the grand old party by the Income Tax Appellate Tribunal, virtually freezing the party’s accounts as the Congress couldn’t give the entire lien amount. While the party is still grappling with the IT department blocking ₹65 crore of a case related to FY 2017-18, it got a fresh notice over IT discrepancies in 1994-95.

Congress’s charge against the Modi govt in 5 points:

Rahul Gandhi, appearing alongside his mother Sonia at the briefing, highlighted that the party was unable to conduct normal campaign activities like paying its workers, publishing pamphlets, and booking advertisement slots. He launched a blistering attack on the Modi government over the issue saying it was not just the freezing of the Congress’ accounts but a freezing of Indian democracy. “The idea that India is a democracy is a lie,” Rahul Gandhi said. The government’s actions are “being orchestrated to cripple us before the elections.”

Rahul Gandhi termed the action of freezing the accounts a criminal action against the Congress by Prime Minister Modi and Union home minister Amit Shah. Gandhi also accused the Election Commission and judiciary of “quietly watching the entire drama”. “There are institutions that are supposed to protect the democratic framework but nothing is happening,” Gandhi said. The Congress went to Delhi high court but didn’t get any favourable order. The party now plans to go to the Supreme Court.

Congress parliamentary party chairperson Sonia Gandhi said the party was under a “determined assault” from the government. “A systematic effort is underway by the prime minister to cripple the Indian National Congress financially. Funds collected from the public are being frozen, and money from our accounts is being taken away forcibly,” she said.

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge appealed to constitutional bodies to allow the party to access bank accounts if they want free and fair polls. Kharge alleged that on one hand, the ruling BJP filled its coffers using the electoral bonds scheme, held unconstitutional by the Supreme Court, while on the other the bank account of the main opposition party was frozen. “This is a dangerous game by the ruling party, which will have a far-reaching impact. If democracy in this country has to be saved, there has to be a level-playing ground.”

The three senior leaders were flanked by Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh and AICC treasurer Ajay Maken at the press conference. “The BJP has looted donations given to the Congress party by the common public by freezing our accounts and forcibly withdrawing ₹115.32 crore from them,” Maken alleged.