Rahul Gandhi Accuses PM Modi of Running "School of Corruption" in India

Rahul Gandhi, the Congress leader, has accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of running a school of corruption" in India, where he is teaching various chapters on the "entire corruption science," including the "donation business" and how to distribute contracts after taking donations. Gandhi claimed that the BJP has become a "den of corrupt people" and has made this "crash course" mandatory for its leaders, with the country paying the price for it.

The Congress has also shared an advertisement criticizing the BJP over the electoral bonds issue, following the Supreme Court's judgment striking down the scheme. The Congress alleges that the electoral bonds data has exposed "corrupt tactics" of the BJP, such as quid pro quo and grant of "protection" to companies against donations.

In response, Union Home Minister Amit Shah has hit out at Rahul Gandhi, asking if the opposition parties would also describe the donations they received through electoral bonds as "extortion." Shah argued that the opposition parties have also received donations through the bonds, and the proportion of their donations to the number of MPs is more than what the BJP received. He stated that the opposition parties do not have a real issue, as there is no allegation of corruption against the BJP, and they are trying to create confusion.

Why this matters: The electoral bonds scheme, which was introduced in 2018 to promote transparency in political funding, has been a contentious issue in Indian politics. The Supreme Court's decision to strike down the scheme and the subsequent allegations of corruption against the BJP have further intensified the political debate surrounding electoral funding and transparency.

The Supreme Court had earlier scrapped the electoral bonds scheme, ruling that it violates the citizens' right to information and is unconstitutional and arbitrary. The court also said that electoral bonds are not the only way to curb black money. Data released by the State Bank of India and the Election Commission of India showed that the BJP had received the maximum funds through these bonds since they were introduced in 2018, followed by the Trinamool Congress and the Congress party.

Gandhi asserted that an INDIA bloc government will shut this "school of corruption" and close this course forever. He promised, "The INDIA bloc's government will lock this 'school of corruption' and close this course forever." Meanwhile, the first phase of the Lok Sabha elections 2024 concluded on Friday, and the remaining phases will be held in the coming weeks.

Key Takeaways

• Rahul Gandhi accuses PM Modi of running a "school of corruption" in India.
• Congress alleges BJP's electoral bonds data exposes "corrupt tactics" like quid pro quo.
• Amit Shah rebuts, says opposition parties also received electoral bonds donations.
• Supreme Court struck down electoral bonds scheme, ruling it unconstitutional and arbitrary.
• Rahul Gandhi promises INDIA bloc govt will "lock this 'school of corruption' and close this course."