Kejriwal criticises tax exemption of political parties, demands probe

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Saturday criticised the Narendra Modi government’s move to exempt political parties from income tax while depositing demonetised currency notes and accused them of holding most of the black money. He also questioned the Central government’s decision to exempt political parties from paying income tax while depositing old Rs 500 and 1,000 notes. 

“Most of the black money are in the hands of political parties,” Kejriwal said referring that the recent move will help the political parties in changing black money to white. Kejriwal demanded setting up of a commission to probe source of funding of political parties. Kejriwal said: “The entire nation is in doubt that the BJP managed its own thousands of crores of rupees black money before demonetisation was announced and after it was implemented it has hoarded black money, which it is in the process of converting into white,” Kejriwal said while demanding that the BJP must make public all the purchases of land and other assets by its leaders just before demonetisation and after demonetisation.  

The Delhi Chief Minister also targeted Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi over his meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and termed it as “a deal to hide unaccounted money”. 

He also sought to link the Centre’s tax exemption decision to the meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi on Friday, suggesting the announcement was the outcome of the parleys between the two.

“Common people are being investigated if they deposit Rs 2.5 lakh individually. But if political parties are not going to be investigated even if they deposit Rs 2,500 crore following the decision, then it is wrong. “We demand setting up of an independent commission to probe into bank accounts details of political parties over the past five years, to investigate into their sources of funding,” Kejriwal said at a press conference.

He also asked the Centre to make public details of money deposited by all political parties post-demonetisation and sought removal of the “less than Rs 20,000 donation cap” for tax exemption, saying “each paisa the parties receive should be declared”. 

Stating it was “surprising” that the tax exemption decision came after Gandhi led a Congress delegation to meet Modi, Kejriwal demanded that the Congress vice-president make public details of Modi’s corruption as he claimed to have supporting documents. 

“He is not sharing details of Modi’s corruption, is only talking about it... Then he meets the PM and seals a deal. I will insist Gandhi to make public the evidences and that he stops entering into deals with Modi. Or else, the country will not forgive him,” Kejriwal said.